British Civil Servant

v2 Chapter 543: Attract investment

Find the latest chapter in "British Civil Servant Novel(!

It is very normal for the industrial development plan to cause controversy. Britain has never taken the initiative to transfer any industries, at least not at the government level. Although the development of the United States in the late 19th century was largely due to British capital, it did not. Nor was it the initiative of the London government.

Even if British India had been so important to the former British Empire, London did not transfer any industry.

Of course, India's industry is second only to Japan outside the white countries of Europe. That is also because India must have some industries that meet its own needs. The British and Indian Governor's Office has carried out some basic construction to meet this demand.

But leading the transfer of industries, making the colonies a powerful complement to the British mainland? It is a novel business for the current cabinet.

At the Cabinet meeting, there was a heated debate on Malaya's industrial development report. Opponents think, "Is it really time for the United Kingdom to share the pressure on the mainland through other forces."

And the voices who think they can try it also have their own reasons: "The fact is already clear, local citizens can't work forever in worthless jobs, just like the report said, we can't sell clothes to compete with the United States and the Soviet Union. Some jobs are inevitably obsolete with the progress of the times, do we still expect the water delivery workers in the Middle Ages to still be active in the streets of London today?"

Mountbatten arrived at the cabinet under this circumstance. He didn't think there was anything wrong with it. He had a trump card named George VI. Although he would not usually use it, he could move the king out at any time. achieve your goals in matters.

The king usually does not interfere in government affairs, which does not mean that the king is just a display, and his influence in the military also exists. Even for the army, although the United Kingdom does not have the title of the Royal Army, there are countless troops prefixed with the Royal Army in the Army.

The army, like the navy and air force, was also loyal to the king, not to any government.

"Louis, I didn't expect you to come too. How is your work in the Admiralty? I heard that you, the newly appointed Admiralty, have shown extraordinary energy." Seeing Mountbatten approaching the door, Prime Minister Attlee said Comes out with great tolerance.

Like Churchill, Attlee had known Mountbatten for a long time, and of course understood Mountbatten's important position within the royal family. At the same time, he also knew that Mountbatten's dream was to be First Sea Lord, and he was equally happy to see it come true.

There is no essential difference between Attlee and Churchill in supporting Mountbatten as First Sea Lord.

"Oh, dear Prime Minister, it's very nice to meet you. Of course I have my purpose this time!" General Mountbatten skillfully expressed his interest in the tone of a civil servant, "I heard that the cabinet is discussing vigorously about overseas construction. The plan, of course, as a soldier, and I don’t know the situation, but I think the opinion of the Privy Councilor is very reasonable, some industries are sunset industries according to a new view, and the retained value is not much.”

"Louis, do you think so too?" Prime Minister Attlee was taken aback, as if he had underestimated the last Governor-General of India. Even his Prime Minister has only recently clarified the definition of the sunset industry. The key is the British The term appears in Malayan telegrams all the time.

"Of course, the textile industry is the basic industry that can be developed by any country and is the easiest to break through." Mountbatten said with a smug look according to the long-term telegram with Alan Wilson.

After expressing his understanding of the economy, Mountbatten changed the subject, "Of course, the thing I care most about is the construction of the Royal Navy."

General Mountbatten's dream was to be the First Sea Lord, not the Commissioner of British Malaya. He could just pretend to be inscrutable with the words "sunset industry". The key is also to optimize the use of the Royal Navy.

Logistics and spending were under his responsibilities as Fourth Sea Lord, and General Mountbatten was persuaded by an argument in Alan Wilson's telegram that the role of the Royal Navy would naturally diminish once the British Empire's overseas territories were lost.

In particular, such as British Malaya, which can regulate the Strait of Malacca, once such an important colony becomes independent, the status of the Royal Navy will become increasingly insignificant.

This has always been a historical development trend. With the disintegration of the empire and the growth of the navies of the British Commonwealth, the traditional overseas rivals Japan, the United States and Italy, even the Soviet Union, have become allies, or their threats have declined, so there is no longer a need for overseas defense.

Sustaining a vast global empire was the most critical driver of the expansion of the Royal Navy in the nineteenth century, and that driver no longer exists today. The large number of warships that maintained commuter and trade routes naturally lost their role, and sooner or later completely retired from the stage of history.

In turn, the need to protect the British Isles has shrunk dramatically: even the navy down to today is still about the size of the French navy, and France, traditionally the number one threat to the British Isles, has ceased to be a threat since the twentieth century. And other traditional European threats became allies against the Soviet Union.

If Argentina hadn't suddenly wanted to compete with the United Kingdom, the United Kingdom would have regarded the already reduced Royal Navy as even more insignificant. It was the Falklands War that made the United Kingdom put the brakes on the continuous reduction of the Royal Navy.

Admiral Mountbatten naturally didn't know about the war decades later, but he wanted to be the Lord of the Seas, and at the same time he didn't want to see the Royal Navy, which he pursued all his life, become irrelevant when he was the Lord of the Seas.

So he has to use his special status in the UK to make British Malaya very important, so that the Royal Navy has to continue to develop. As for Alan Wilson's suggestion that the Malayan colony can be used to cover part of the logistical expenses, it is only incidental.

Today, General Mountbatten came to the Prime Minister's Office to accomplish a goal that coincides with the interests of his son-in-law. Even if it cannot be finalized, try to get Prime Minister Attlee to seriously consider this issue.

When Mountbatten was doing the persuasion work, Norman Brooke was also blessing him, and Whitehall also adopted a supportive attitude towards this development plan, entirely for the influence of the British Empire, completely selfless, even if there were some , it is also considered a balance between public and private.

"Actually, considering the cost and the current European common market, I'm not very opposed to it." Attlee pondered for a while, frowning slightly, "It's just that the Foreign Secretary may have some doubts."

The current foreign secretary is not Ernest Bevin, but Labour's deputy leader Herbert Morrison. Is Prime Minister Attlee's opponent in the party.

Because the Labour Party does not have much governing experience, and there are not many talents available compared with the Conservative Party, the Labour Party government has multiple super ministers, which simultaneously hold more than two ministerial positions. Ernest Bevan is no longer suitable for heavy diplomatic work because of his physical condition, and the current one has been replaced by Herbert Morrison.

Had he not lost his parliamentary seat in the 1931 general election, it would not have been Clement Richard Attlee but him who would have become Labour leader and future Prime Minister, a blow that has kept him forever Can't let go.

"Perhaps I think it's not a plan that Herbert is against, it may be someone." General Mountbatten had a clear look on his face when he heard this, but he immediately retracted the words, "Of course I don't care about party affairs. I don’t know, I don’t know the specific situation, but like many people in Whitehall said, the most important thing is to be reliable in order to serve the Empire!”

reliable! Prime Minister Attlee pondered for a moment and nodded, a trait that politicians also consider important.

Alan Wilson's report, as before, was very informative and took up a lot of space, expounding on the importance of British Malaya. Even before it was issued, he should have revised it once, removed all the words of industrial transfer, and replaced it with more harmless industrial support.

It is said that under the current background that European countries are beginning to recover, once these countries with their original foundations recover, the textile industry with the lowest threshold will bear the brunt of the impact. Supporting the textile industry in British Malaya, within the framework of the Imperial Preferential System, is equivalent to having a reliable external force to compete with European countries in the European Common Market with a lower cost advantage.

It can also unite the Commonwealth, considering the location of Malaya and the centripetal force of Australia. Holding the Commonwealth in one hand and the European Common Market in the other, wouldn't it be beautiful to fly together?

Attlee saw this telegram, which was more supportive than transfer, and also recognized the content of this paragraph.

After General Mountbatten left the Prime Minister's Office, Prime Minister Attlee had a vague decision in his heart.

In British Malaya, Alan Wilson was leading Boris, the Newfoundland guests, on a tour of rubber plantations and tin mines. Its main purpose is to persuade Newfoundland to invest.

Although he patted his chest and promised to pay a pound regardless of London~lightnovelpub.net~, Newfoundland is not London, and it is time to speak.

Returning to the High Commissioner's Office, Alan Wilson said as he walked, "I'm not saying it's wrong to keep the money, but since Newfoundland has enough money, it should have a relevant investment concept. Although the current life must have been very stressful for Newfoundland. Finnish citizens are satisfied, but who would dislike having more money?"

"Commissioner Allen, this time we are also eye-opening. Judging from the several industries we have observed, our fishermen's vision is still too small." Boris was obviously persuaded, and several Newfoundlanders accompanying him also nodded. .

"Commissioner, call back from London." After a while, Alyssa wiggled her body and came over, holding a telegram from London, "It's the approval of the industry support plan."

"Change support to transfer, and publish it to the society after translation. Don't do good deeds without leaving your name. We do a job, and we have to praise it. This is the work experience left in British India." Alan Wilson With a smile on his face, he still did not forget to remind his subordinates to pay attention to details.

For the convenience of reading next time, you can click the \"Favorites\" below to record the reading record of this (Chapter 541 Investment Promotion), and you can see it when you open the bookshelf next time!

If you like "The British Civil Servant", please recommend this book to your friends (QQ, blog, WeChat, etc.), thank you for your support! ! ()