I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 388

The British Empire’s acquisition of Panama was solely motivated by the canal.

Their plan was to cede the eastern and western territories to France and Prussia, respectively, while retaining the canal zone as British territory. This would ensure British control for over a century.

Even if they relinquished other areas, holding the canal zone would virtually guarantee full employment for the local population, providing ample wages to quell any potential discontent.

Calculations suggested that, upon completion of the Panama Canal, residents of the canal zone would have higher incomes than citizens in mainland Britain.

This would ensure that even if the rest of Panama sought independence, British Panama would not be swayed by separatist sentiments.

Independence would naturally lead to merging with other regions, but the projected income disparity between the canal zone and other areas was estimated to be five to ten times greater.

Why would they willingly merge?

They would only be burdened with additional responsibilities.

A grand vision that looked ahead not just to the immediate future, but also 100 or 200 years down the line.

The Panama Canal would become a symbol of the British Empire’s dominance over the American continent.

For this reason, the British government, along with Parliament, enacted numerous special laws, demonstrating their commitment to the canal project.

The initial goal was to complete it more swiftly and efficiently than the Suez Canal, and the plan itself seemed plausible.

However, disease disrupted everything.

“It has been reported that the Panama Canal is still far from completion, despite construction having begun long ago! The current progress is only about 3%. What is going on? Are we planning to spend 40 years on this project?”

“Who on earth selected such a contractor!”

“The construction team led by Lesseps [Ferdinand de Lesseps, the French diplomat and engineer who built the Suez Canal] comprises the world’s foremost experts. The selection was sound!”

“Isn’t Lesseps French? Is it possible that France is deliberately sabotaging the project?”

“France is also trying to get a piece of the pie! Please, offer some realistic criticism!”

They were united in passing special laws, but now they’re pointing fingers at each other, typical of the British Parliament.

Wellesley remained silent amidst the clamor of the parliamentarians, leisurely sipping his coffee.

Another member of Parliament, looking dumbfounded, raised his voice.

“Prime Minister! Government action is needed, but why are you just standing by! This canal construction was a government-led project, and it’s on the verge of utter failure! We need a solution!”

“A solution? From me?”

“Aren’t you the head of the government!”

“Indeed, but wasn’t this canal special law enacted by Parliament from the outset? With the rationale that the Panama Canal should belong to the government, not the British Imperial Family. If I recall correctly, the Liberal Party advocated for this very actively.”

At the time, almost all members of Parliament had agreed with the Liberal Party’s proposal.

But that was then, and this is now.

No sooner had Wellesley finished speaking than the Conservative Party members turned their ire towards Russell, who had most vociferously advocated for the enactment of the canal special law.

“Mr. Russell! Say something!”

“What are you going to do! At this rate, the project is bound to fail, and we’ll be left to bear all the responsibility.”

“Why is it my responsibility? Didn’t you all agree to it?”

“Well, it’s just that Mr. Russell spoke with such confidence that we assumed it was a good idea!”

“Is being swayed by others’ opinions something to boast about as a member of the British Parliament! You should be ashamed!”

“The ones who should be ashamed are those who, in an attempt to restrain the Imperial Family, coveted something they couldn’t handle!”

What a mess.

In truth, if one were to be objective, canal construction could either succeed or fail, so it might be unfair to demand responsibility unilaterally.

However, the problem was that this wasn’t just about digging a canal in a British colony.

What was the reason for occupying that tiny region in central Panama, and why were the east and west ceded to Prussia and France?

It was all for the sake of digging the canal.

If the canal couldn’t be built, there would have been no need to cede colonies to France or Prussia in the first place.

“If that’s the case, we might as well have taken all of Panama for ourselves!”

“We’ve only created a situation where France and Prussia can meddle in America, what a foolish thing to do!”

“Oh, why did I listen to such words…”

“No, how can you say this now when you all agreed it was a good idea!”

Despite Russell’s impassioned pleas, the parliamentarians avoided his gaze or covered their ears, simply echoing criticisms of Russell like parrots.

Even Gladstone, a prominent figure in the same Liberal Party, remained silent, merely gazing into the distance.

From the outset, Gladstone had been uncooperative to a bizarre extent during the enactment of the special law, so no one held him accountable.

Rather, whispers circulated that Gladstone’s perspective was more statesmanlike than Russell’s.

Of course, it wasn’t as if there were no attacks at all.

Disraeli, who would always target Gladstone, deliberately taunted Gladstone instead of Russell.

“Still, as the leader of the party, you cannot avoid responsibility for this situation, can you?”

“I never said I had no responsibility at all.”

“It’s not something you can gloss over so easily. If this matter ends in failure, the media will surely publish articles stating that Parliament ruined things out of greed when they could have just left it to the Imperial Family. What will you say in your defense?”

“No, what…”

Gladstone reflexively tried to retort at the absurd accusation but stopped himself.

Since parliamentary speeches were all recorded in Hansard [the official report of debates in the UK Parliament], he could see the stenographers preparing to record the renewed verbal battle between Gladstone and Disraeli.

In fact, that was too easy to refute.

Logically speaking, would the canal construction have gone smoothly even if the Imperial Family had been in charge?

This wasn’t a matter of selecting the wrong contractor or the government’s blunders derailing the project.

How could they have known that the area was rife with malaria and that none of the rumored malaria prevention methods would be effective?

In other words, this was a project that would have failed no matter who undertook it.

To be precise, it was closer to the government willingly taking on the Imperial Family’s mess and self-destructing.

And they were saying that like that?

The impulse to immediately refute and silence them surged to his throat, but that’s why he sensed something was amiss.

Someone like Disraeli couldn’t possibly be unaware of that, logically speaking.

If they were being truly honest, this was something for which the Imperial Family should be grateful.

This side had taken the fall for their mistake.

However, the Disraeli that Gladstone knew was not someone who would pick a fight that was so easily refuted.

In other words, this meant that after deliberately throwing out a flimsy argument, he was setting a trap and waiting.

To refute here would mean grabbing onto that side’s leg and being dragged into the swamp together.

“Of course, as the leader of the Liberal Party, I deeply feel my responsibility. However, in that case, Mr. Disraeli, you are not in a position to criticize me, are you? In the first place, what law can be passed in the current Parliament without the consent of the Conservative Party? The Conservative Party passed the bill with us, and Mr. Disraeli is someone who can play a decisive role in the Conservative Party’s stance.”

“Of course, I cannot avoid responsibility for having agreed. However, in any case, an accomplice never receives a harsher punishment than the principal offender. Of course, parliamentary activity is not a crime, but when it comes to assigning responsibility, the Liberal Party will inevitably bear more of the blame. And the citizens will believe that Parliament hijacked the Imperial Family’s work and ruined it. I’m asking how you will take responsibility for this.”

He kept emphasizing that they had hijacked the Imperial Family’s work since earlier, and he could roughly guess what they were aiming for.

Indeed, Disraeli wanted Gladstone to say that this was a project that would have failed no matter who undertook it.

Then, the natural question arose. This was such an obvious rebuttal, so why were they trying to induce this side to say it?

‘Could it be that they have a clever plan to overturn this?’

Would malaria not have occurred if the Imperial Family had selected the construction company? That couldn’t be the case.

Then, was Disraeli trying to create discord by making the Liberal Party implicate the Imperial Family?

Whatever it was, now that he had discerned their intentions, he had no intention of falling for it.

“If necessary, I will call the reporters and hold a press conference to apologize. Of course, I trust that the ruling Conservative Party will join us.”

“…You’re willing to admit your mistakes so readily?”

“Yes. That’s how the citizens will see it, and if we try to deny it shamelessly, our approval ratings will only plummet.”

Russell, who had been getting beaten as the Liberal Party representative until just now, was taken aback by Gladstone’s ready admission.

“No, Mr. Gladstone! What are you thinking? Why do we have to apologize to the nation? This is a project that had no chance of success no matter who attempted it. You need to dig into that point and refute it!”

“The way things are going, I don’t think we should do that. Let’s quietly observe the situation for now.”

“Hmph… I don’t know why you’re suddenly acting like this. Are you perhaps afraid of incurring the Imperial Family’s displeasure?”

Regardless of what others said, Gladstone once again lowered his profile as much as possible and simply waited for this storm to pass.

The Liberal Party members were frustrated, but Disraeli also clicked his tongue as if disappointed and gave a wry smile.

Having fought each other for over a decade, the two had developed a deep understanding of each other.

Gladstone could easily discern that Disraeli’s expression meant ‘It’s a pity I couldn’t take him down.’

‘That damn bastard. He had indeed set a trap to somehow ensnare me.’

He instinctively shuddered at the thought of what a disaster might have occurred if he had engaged in a verbal battle.

Disraeli shrugged once and turned his head towards Wellesley.

“Prime Minister, you must make a decision. The longer this goes on, the more impossible completion becomes.”

“That’s true. At the current rate, it’s said that it will take over 40 years, and not only that, but the casualties among the workers are immense.”

“We must acknowledge the failure of the special law and return the project to square one.”

In the end, that was the only option.

However, doing so would inevitably subject Parliament and the government to immense criticism, as discussed earlier.

As a result, they would have spent money, given American colonies to France and Prussia, and be left with a piece of land that was not very meaningful.

Everyone was pondering how to overcome this predicament.

Then, Wellesley sighed once and raised his voice.

“It can’t be helped. Then I will take responsibility for this matter and bring it to a close. First, let’s decide to notify Panama of the construction cancellation.”

“…”

“And I will somehow try to transfer this project back to the Imperial Family.”

“…Pardon?”

At the unexpected bombshell declaration, the Conservative and Liberal Party members stared at him with dumbfounded expressions, as if they had made a promise.

To hand over a project that was certain to fail back to the Imperial Family, what nonsense was that?

In the first place, Killian wasn’t a fool, there was no way he would accept it.

“This side will have to concede a lot, but if we do it well, the Imperial Family will take responsibility and cover up this mistake.”

“Ah, you mean you’re going to make a deal.”

“Then we won’t have to face the criticism that we hijacked the Imperial Family’s project and made a mess of it. I will discuss it with His Majesty.”

If the Imperial Family were to take over a virtually failed project, bear the losses, and complete it, there could be nothing better.

He didn’t know how they would have to negotiate for Killian to accept this demand, but since the Prime Minister was stepping forward with such confidence, they believed there must be a reason.

“As expected of the Prime Minister!”

“The Prime Minister always has a plan.”

Wellesley gave a bitter smile at the parliamentarians’ praise.

He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but he was once again tasked with the role of the miracle negotiator.