February 10th, 1801
Across the English Channel, in the capital city of the United Kingdom.
The Prime Minister, William Pitt, didn't let a moment slip by. He urgently convened a meeting that gathered the highest-ranking military generals, admirals, and advisors at the Palace of Westminster. The situation demanded instant attention and resolute action.
As the attendees gradually filled the room, Pitt settled into his chair at the head of the table. His focus was on a newspaper he had received earlier, reporting on the recent signing of a peace treaty between France and Austria.
His hands involuntarily clenched, crumpling the paper's edges as he absorbed the implications.
"Two million pounds sterling squandered on the Austrians," William muttered under his breath, frustration evident. "Why does their military persist in such weakness?"
"Perhaps the army of France is simply formidable," the Secretary of State for War and Colonies, Henry Dundas, chimed in, breaking the silence in the room.
"I don't think we are summoned here to praise the abilities of the French Army," General Sir Arthur Wellesley interjected sharply.
Pitt looked up from the crumpled newspaper, meeting Wellesley's gaze with a raised eyebrow. The general's no-nonsense demeanor was a stark contrast to the tension in the room.
"Indeed," Pitt agreed, his frustration momentarily overshadowed by a renewed sense of purpose. "Our concern lies in the balance of power and the potential threats to our nation. With the Austrian gone, there's no countering the French domination in Continental Europe."
"Well, we can try establishing an alliance with the Russians," The Foreign Secretary, William Wyndham Grenville suggested. "But by doing so means violating the Second League of Armed Neutrality signed by Denmark–Norway, Prussia, Sweden, and Russia."
Pitt sighed. "We are in a perilous situation."
"You couldn't be more wrong, Prime Minister," The First Lord Admiralty, George Spencer agreed. "You see, without the Austrians, or Prussians, or the Russians fighting France, the French could easily divert their focus on us. It's only a matter of time before the French start building warships for an invasion of our island."
"Is there such a possibility?" Grenville asked, his eyes widening in alarm.
"It's not a possibility per se, it's inevitable. The French tried it almost four years ago at Fishburg by supporting the Society of United Irishmen. Of course, the French invasion was a failure, but we couldn't be oblivious to the fact that they might try it again with a better strategy," Spencer explained in a straightforward tone.
"Gentlemen, we must prepare for the worst-case scenario," Pitt declared firmly, his frustration giving way to a steely determination. "We need to strengthen our defenses, fortify our coasts, and ensure that our navy is ready to repel any potential invasion."
"Good thing we have the Royal Navy on our side," Spencer said proudly. "As long as our ships are in the channel and blockading their major ports in Brest, Cherbourg, and Lorient, we can be certain that we'll prevent the invasion before the French even set foot on our shores."
"Should the French land on our soil, we are doomed," Dundas said.
"Well, we can enhance our position even further by recalling our naval fleets from around the world for our defense," Spencer added. "For instance, our fleet in India. The French appear to be overstretched, making it challenging for them to advance toward India. Bringing them back to the English Channel would prove more advantageous than their current deployments."
"But that would mean losing India and the East Indies," Dundas countered, his brows furrowing in concern.
Pitt nodded, acknowledging the weight of the decision. "We must weigh the risks and benefits carefully. Our priority is to safeguard our homeland, but we also cannot afford to weaken our presence in other critical regions."
"Furthermore, we should focus on bolstering our land forces," Wellesley asserted. "Our army needs modernization and expansion. Strengthening our coastal defenses won't be enough if the French manage to establish a foothold. What's the development for the spies tasked with espionage on France's heavy industries?"
"We have sent special units to the Middle East to steal the advanced rifles of the French and their machine guns. So far on that side, no news from them. But in the industries of mainland France, we have gathered enough information about the manufacturing process of those weapons, by, of course, bribing them." Grenville said.
"Why can't you just bribe the people to get the rifle instead of just asking for that information?" Wellesley inquired, his tone reflecting the practical nature of his question.
Grenville cleared his throat, adjusting his posture. "It's a matter of security and discretion. The factories making those weapons are highly-guarded and closely monitored. Attempting to directly bribe individuals by giving us weapons could risk exposing our efforts and compromising the mission's success. Infiltrating their production process covertly offers us a better chance of obtaining valuable insights without raising suspicion."
Wellesley sighed. "The French didn't use their advanced weapons in Europe, imagine if they were equipped with that. There's really no countering the domination of France. So I suggest that once we have all the information about their weapons and artillery, we should share it with our allies in mainland Europe."
"I agree," Spencer concurred. "Also, not only the army but the Royal Navy as well. In the Exhibition of Products of French Industry last December, I received information that the French are experimenting with using steam engines as a means of propulsion for their ships. If this technology were to be successfully integrated into their naval forces, where a ship doesn't need the wind to propel itself, it could pose a significant threat to our maritime supremacy."
"Hear, hear," Pitt said, gathering the attention of the high-ranking officials. "So, what we have discussed is the potential of the French invasion of our island. We have to prepare for it by fortifying our defense and modernizing our army and navy. The second thing is gathering information from French weapon factories making advanced weaponry should continue."
Everyone nodded.
"I think we have sufficient warships to protect our island while conducting a naval blockade on France, so our fleet in India would still remain there," Pitt said. "Have we missed anything?"
"Actually, we haven't discussed one thing," Grenville interjected. "What about the League of Armed Neutrality? It seems that if we let those northern alliances conduct trade with France, then our naval blockade is useless."
"Yeah, but I remember that we can't make any concessions with them. They want us to recognize the alliance by not interfering with their trade, which we couldn't do." Pitt said.
"Actually, I have a better idea, that would force everyone out of the alliance," Grenville said. "What if we attack the Danish Fleet in Copenhagen?"
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