Tung oil is an excellent anti-corrosion and anti-rust paint. In the early 20th century when the petrochemical industry was underdeveloped, there were very few substitutes for tung oil, and the effects of the substitutes were not very good.

But having said that, although tung oil is widely used in machinery, military industry, shipbuilding manufacturing and other industries, it has not attracted attention.

After all, the Qing Empire had no idea of ​​trade protection. Even though the Qing Empire almost monopolized the production and export of tung oil and pig hair, it did not take advantage of these strategic materials.

"Tung oil is monopolized by the Qing Empire, and rubber is basically controlled by the Nanhua Empire, but now they are both at war, how difficult it is!" Winston sighed.

When Asquith mentioned tung oil and rubber, Winston knew exactly what Asquith meant based on their specificity.

Asquith wanted to keep Japan, but also did not want to fall out with Nanhua and China at this juncture.

"I don't know what those botanists do, but a small problem has not been solved yet, and 80% of the world's rubber has to be produced in Nanhua."

(Years ago, someone carried some kind of spores across Central and South America. Guess who did it?)

"Let me think about it...forget it, let's make some money first and buy a batch. If this continues, the price of rubber will skyrocket."

"Henry, send a telegram to your uncle. Those princes are fat enough, and the empire needs a sum of money to buy rubber."

Winston couldn't think of a solution for a while. As for why he didn't go to the Foreign Secretary?

Being able to speak to Winston proved that Asquith did not like the solution given by the Foreign Secretary.

The Foreign Secretary was a conservative, and so was Winston, but at the same time Winston was a "young man" and Asquith was a republican.

"Okay Minister, by the way, have you read today's newspaper?" Henry poured Winston a glass of whiskey mixed with water in a ratio of 1:10.

Very bland, but Winston loved this one.

"Thank you, what's wrong? Did the newspaper say something?" Winston took the glass and took a big sip.

"Nothing. Tsar Nicholas II ordered the Russian Empire to mobilize. I heard that it was with the support of Britain that Russia made up its mind."

"Is the war about to begin? Your Excellency?" Henry asked.

"What? Maybe? Henry, if you have spare money, you can buy some rubber. He will definitely make money." Winston was stunned when he heard this, and then nodded.

"Thank you, Minister."

…………

December 23rd, two days before Christmas.

St. Petersburg, in the Summer Palace, Tsar Nicholas II sat in the high hall, signed the mobilization order, and carried out preliminary mobilization.

"Nicholas, are the soldiers ready?" Nicholas II looked at Chief of General Staff Nikolay Petrovich Mikhnevich.

"Yes, Your Majesty, the soldiers have high morale and are ready to rescue our Serbian brothers." Mihnjevic took the mobilization order with a smile.

As the Chief of General Staff of the Russian Empire, he had already prepared for mobilization. After all, war could come at any time.

With this order signed by the Tsar, the General Staff will operate at full capacity to expand the Tsar's standing army of 1.5 million to 3 million men within three months.

"Go ahead and ask the Foreign Minister to come." Nicholas II waved his hand in disinterest.

The war started, but he was not very interested.

Compared with external enemies, Nicholas II was more worried about rebellion from domestic forces.

The Russo-Japanese War and the two Green-Russian Wars, each time at a critical moment, some domestic opposition would pop up, causing success to fail.

Although with the French capital injection, Russia's economy and industry began to develop rapidly again, easing some conflicts, Nicholas II knew that this was just an appearance.

Nicholas II was very hesitant about the upcoming war. On the one hand, he hoped to use the war to divert domestic conflicts, plunder interests, stimulate centripetal force, and enhance prestige.

To put it bluntly, it is to consolidate contradictions in order to further reform or centralize power.

On the other hand, he was confused about the future of this war. What would he do if the war failed again? He had not thought about this.

As for financial issues, he had not worried about it. It was not that Tsarist Russia's finances were so healthy that it could ignore the war, but that it had no worries if it had too many debts.

If France is an empire of usury, Russia is an empire of debtors. It has been in debt since the time of Alexander, and has become accustomed to it.

"My dear Majesty, the United Kingdom has expressed that it will stand on our side, the French have begun preparations for mobilization, and the attitude of the allies is very friendly." Foreign Minister Sazonov said cordially to Nicholas II.

"I hope everything goes well, and I hope the Germans will be more sensible." Nicholas II nodded.

"Your Majesty, you have a telegram from Berlin, sent by your cousin, His Majesty Emperor Wilhelm." As soon as he finished speaking, the waiter came with a sealed telegram.

After hearing the waiter's words, Nicholas II and Sazonov looked at each other.

"give it to me."

The waiter handed the telegram respectfully, and Nicholas II opened it gently. He admitted that he was a little nervous before opening it.

But after opening it, he was only surprised.

"Sazonov, look, William is shaken, the Germans are shaken, it's not easy." Nicholas II happily showed the telegram to the Foreign Minister.

"What? Your Majesty, you are shaking a little too much, please stop." Sazonov was eager to read the telegram, but Nicholas II's hand kept shaking back and forth and he couldn't see clearly.

"William sent a telegram to explain, asking me not to rush into issuing a mobilization order. He was discussing the withdrawal of troops with Joseph I."

"If this is true, then this matter can end here, right?"

"In the Balkans, the only one that needs to be dealt with is the disobedient Bulgaria." Nicholas II handed the telegram to Sazonov.

"Call the Chief of General Staff and tell him to cancel the mobilization order and stop mobilization." Nicholas II said to the waiter.

"I follow your will, Your Majesty." The waiter turned around and was about to make a phone call.

"No! Please wait a moment." Sazonov stretched out his hand and grabbed the waiter who was about to leave.

"Your Majesty, you just signed the mobilization order. Everyone knows that if you have to cancel the mobilization just because of a private telegram... this is really unacceptable." Sazonov turned to look at Nicholas II.

"What?" Nicholas II frowned, very unhappy.

Sazonov's act of seizing the waiter was against his will, which was very disgusting for a tsar who emphasized the absolute authority of the monarch.

"Your Majesty, I want to say, what if His Majesty Emperor William fails to persuade His Majesty Joseph I?"

"As you know, the Austro-Hungarian Empire has always wanted to reach out to the Balkans, but they just lacked enough excuses and strength. Otherwise, they would have annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina long ago, and they would not have waited until now." Sazonov said sincerely.

It is true that the telegram was sent by Wilhelm II, but that is also the problem. This is a private telegram sent by Wilhelm II, not an official diplomatic document.

In this era, even official diplomatic documents are not trustworthy, let alone a private telegram of little benefit.

At least on the surface, the German Empire and the Russian Empire were both constitutional monarchies, one with an Imperial Parliament and the other with an Imperial Duma.

They have many ways to shirk responsibility, such as the parliament not allowing it?

"That……"
Chapter completed!