Chapter 372： Suez Canal Project

A few days later, Marin received news of the war in West Friesland. However, there was no news that the Saxon Allied Forces would soon be defeated. Duke George has been more cautious this time since he failed last time, without Meng Lang. The commander of the army of the Principality of Geddes Bonitz also wanted to use the city to consume the morale of the Lower Saxony Army. Therefore, in a short time, there will be no results.

Of course, this short time refers to three or five days. If you drag on for too long, neither side will be happy. Because it is now February. Next month, in March, will enter the stage of spring cultivation. Both sides are obviously not happy to affect spring cultivation because of the war. Therefore, after the initial trial phase has passed, there must be a violent collision. By March, the outcome will inevitably be met. At that time, Marin can also go back to host the spring cultivation plan. By the way, talk to defeated George about buying West Frisian ...

After reading the information from the country, Marin also planned to leave for Venice. This time, as a mediator, he was commissioned by Julius II to negotiate with Venice.

Before leaving, Marin suddenly said to Julius II:

"Juliano, I intend to encourage Venice to dig a canal leading to the Arabian Sea on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt ..."

Julius II was stunned, but after opening the map that Marin had drawn for him, his face changed:

"Marin, do you want Venice to rise completely? If Venice rises completely, will the Holy See not be suppressed to death?"

Today, Venice already occupies two large islands, Crete and Cyprus, which are relatively close to Egypt. If the Venetians combined with the Egyptians to dig a canal connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, Julius II can be sure that Venice will develop more rapidly than it is now and more difficult to contain.

"Juliano, don't be excited, let me explain first ..."

Marin pointed to the map and explained to Julius II:

"Even if the canal is excavated in the western part of the Sinai peninsula, which is the shortest distance, this canal will be about 200 kilometers long ..." Julius II nodded, indicating that he understood. After spending some time in East Friesland, he naturally knew what a kilometer is. Moreover, Julius II now also likes to replace the ancient distance calculation unit such as Rigg in Rome with kilometers.

"To dig such a long canal, you have to let the big sailing ship pass ... Juliano, how many years do you think it will take?"

"This ... maybe it will take twenty or thirty years ..." Julius II said uncertainly after thinking for a while.

Marin nodded, and Julius II's speculation was not outrageous. In the mid-19th century, when the French presided over the Suez Canal, it took a full 11 years. Moreover, in the mid-19th century, many machines were used. The most important of these is the large-scale application of pumps. Digging the canal, digging deep, easy to seep. If it rains heavily, it will also accumulate water.

Once the river has accumulated water, the era of manual excavation cannot continue to excavate, and the water must be pumped out first. Then, the worker can continue to dig down to the bottom.

In the mid-19th century, the technology of steam engines and pumps has been greatly developed, and pumping water is natural and fast. Moreover, the colonial plunder and usury at that time, the French took out a huge amount of up to 18.6 million pounds to dig the Suez Canal.

In the 19th century, the era of the gold standard, 1 pound is equivalent to 7.322 grams of pure gold. 18.6 million pounds, which can be equivalent to 38.255 million Ducat gold coins.

Even if prices in the mid-19th century were much higher than they are today, Venice wanted to dig such a canal, and nearly ten million Ducat gold coins were still needed.

However, in Venice today, the total annual fiscal revenue is only a few hundred thousand ducats. Moreover, its own institutions and military forces will consume more than half. Therefore, hundreds of thousands of Ducat gold coins are available for Venice's official free money every year.

Letting Venice repair the Suez Canal, which may cost nearly ten million Ducat, is definitely a huge pit. At least, during the repair of the canal, the Venetians will be emptied of their savings, don't think about doing anything else for the time being. Moreover, such expenditures will last for twenty or thirty years.

So, as soon as the canal was repaired, the Venetians were caught and unable to do anything else ...

Moreover, the Venetians had to make such a choice after learning that Spain and Portugal had jointly attacked Arab merchant ships in India. Because this is the only way out for the Venetians. Otherwise, decline will be inevitable.

What depresses the Venetians most is that when Spain and Portugal intercepted those Arab merchant ships in the Indian Ocean, the Venetians had no excuse to send troops. Because the Spaniards and Portuguese attacked Arab ships and not Venetian ships. What excuse should the Venetians use to fight Spain and Portugal?

By the time the Spanish and Portuguese fleets have cleared the Arab merchant ships, the Venetians will no longer be able to get spices and lose millions of gold coins every year. And this is absolutely unbearable for the Venetians.

However, the Venetians did not have the ability to send a fleet to compete with Spain or Portugal in the Indian Ocean. After all, the Venetian's boat can't reach the Indian Ocean. The only export to the Strait of Gibraltar is that of Spain. If you want to bypass the African coast to India like Spain and Portugal, you have to ask Spain and Portugal whether they agree or not.

If you do nothing, the Venetians will completely lose millions of dollars in spice trade profits every year. Even the soup can't be drunk. And the Republic of Venice will gradually decline, as it was in history.

And if the Suez Canal is cut, there will be a ray of life in Venice. After all, Venice has more than 3,300 paddle sailing ships with more maritime power than Spain and Portugal combined.

Even without the use of advanced tactics such as side artillery (mainly paddle sailing on the side of the boat, there is no space to install side artillery), the large number of ships and the artillery at the bow and stern can defeat the expeditionary fleet of Spain and Portugal . In the original history of the Diu Sea Battle, because the ship could not be transported to the Red Sea, the Venetians could only provide a few large ships, allowing the Egyptians to disassemble the ship into wood and send it to the Red Sea for reassembly. Such a method naturally cannot provide many warships.

However, if the Suez Canal was opened, the Venetians could dispatch thousands of warships to enter the Indian Ocean, and the Spanish and Portuguese expeditionary fleets could be piled up by a large number of piles.

So, after Marin provided the idea, the Venetians knew it was a pit, but in order to ensure that the Venetian Republic would not decline, they must also jump in. Because, jumping out of this pit may be unlucky, but if you don't jump in this pit, you will definitely die.

However, in the years of repairing the canal, Venice must have tightened its belts and lived a difficult life. Because it was too much to dig the Suez Canal.

During this period of time, Venice will certainly not be able to make waves in Italy, and Julius II can also take advantage of Venice's temporary inability to care for the expansion of the site.

As for Julius II worried about the prosperity after the opening of the Suez Canal? Marin comforted:

"Juliano, the great significance of the Suez Canal to the Venetians, can you see it, the Spanish will not see it? I'm sure that Spain and Portugal will desperately prevent the Venetians from digging the Suez Canal. These twenty or thirty years , Both sides will be in a dead fight. Everyone wants to swallow the huge profits of the spice trade, and no one will give in. At that time, Venice will definitely engage with Spain. Maybe you can also use Venice to get Naples occupied by Spain What about the kingdom ... "

"The Kingdom of Naples?" Julius II was puzzled.

"You do n’t look where the Kingdom of Naples is? It blocked the exit of the Adriatic Sea! At that time, Venice and Spain are at war, and they are definitely not happy to let Spain choke their throat. Then, you It is perfectly possible to unite Venice and try to drive the Spaniards out of the Italian peninsula ... "

"It seems very reasonable ..." Julius II said after thinking deeply.

A Suez Canal, involving the three great powers of Venice, Spain and Portugal, is also a very good strategy. Marin did this to distract Spain and Portugal. When the powers of the three seas are torn in the Mediterranean and Indian Oceans, Marin can quietly engage in colonial development in the Americas.

Moreover, this strategy actually counts the Ottoman Turkey ...

Why? Venice dug the Suez Canal in Egypt, bound to be bound with Egypt's Mamluk dynasty. By 1517, when the Ottoman Turkey wanted to annex Egypt, the Venetians would definitely help the Mamluk dynasty in Egypt. Even if it can't help Egypt defeat Turkey, it will help Egypt defend the Turks' offense ~ www.novelhall.com ~ Moreover, the Venetians will do their best.

Otherwise, once the Egyptian Mamluk dynasty, which has a good relationship with Venice, loses, and the Ottoman Turkey, which is hostile to Venice, controls Egypt, the Turks will definitely take the Suez Canal. In that way, Venice is over ...

Therefore, Marin's idea will force Venice to do all it can to help Egypt's Mamluk dynasty against Turkey's attack. And if Turkey did not win Egypt, then it would not be as scary as it was in history. After all, Egypt is a wealthy and prosperous agricultural region, which is of great significance.

In addition, Marin itself has its own interests in Egypt. That is, the purchase of natural sodium hydroxide and thenardite. These two things, but the core raw materials for glass manufacturing and papermaking, are indispensable.

Although the Mamluk dynasty in Egypt is also a pagan country, it frequently trades with Europe and is an important trading partner of Venice. Turkey and Europe are deadly enemies. Historically, after Turkey occupied Egypt, the trade between Egypt and Europe was interrupted. In that case, Marin's glass manufacturing and paper industry will be greatly affected.

However, Marin was not willing to send troops to help Egypt against Turkey. Because, that investment is too much. Moreover, a labor expedition is required. Therefore, it is the best choice to take advantage of the opportunity of the Venetians to dig the Suez Canal, let the Venetians be cannon fodder, and help the Mamluk dynasty in Egypt to withstand the Turks' attack.

As for the Venetians who prospered after digging through the Suez Canal, what about Marin? Anyway, the Venetian is very powerful now, and Marlin is not affected ...

Hmm ... it might affect the hegemony of the Papal State in Italy ... but, by then, his father-in-law Julius II had already passed away ...