Chapter 563: Steam Engine Naval Plan
Although Spain was a fading power, its vast colonial holdings allowed it to cling to its status among Europe's great powers.
Joseph saw Spain's navy as an invaluable asset.
Despite its decline since the glory days of the Armada, Spain's fleet remained the third-largest in Europe. For France to maintain even minimal trade routes, particularly securing the Mediterranean, an alliance with Spain's navy was essential.
Joseph understood that a navy was the most expensive military branch—by far.
With France's current financial resources, competing directly with Britain's navy through traditional means was impossible.
Historically, during the Napoleonic Wars, Britain's annual military expenditure reached between 1 and 1.2 billion francs. Of this, an astronomical 380 million francs was allocated to the Royal Navy alone—nearly equal to France's entire military budget of 400 million francs. [Note 1]
Attempting to match Britain ship-for-ship was futile; for every French vessel launched, Britain could launch two or more.
Moreover, as a maritime trading power, Britain produced a vast number of highly skilled sailors. Even if France managed to field an equivalent fleet, its chances of winning at sea remained slim.
France's only viable naval strategy was technological innovation—a shortcut to overcoming Britain's advantage. However, developing new technologies required substantial funding and time.
Until France could field its next-generation ships, it had to rely on a Spanish alliance to buy time.
Speaking of new ships, Joseph's thoughts turned to Murdoch's experimental high-pressure steam engine.
While the engine's power was insufficient for heavy warships, it had great potential for Mediterranean warfare. Lightweight galleys remained a valuable naval force in this region, where calm seas often slowed heavier sailing ships.
Galleys, powered by rowers, maintained excellent maneuverability under such conditions.
Murdoch's steam engine, with its 50-horsepower output, could outperform human rowers. Equipping a galley with two engines—providing 100 horsepower—would far surpass manual rowing.
Additionally, steam engines could run continuously for days, unlike human rowers, who would tire after a few hours. Even with backup crews, a galley's high-speed endurance was limited to five or six hours.
By contrast, a steam-powered galley could maintain superior mobility over long periods. If France successfully deployed steam-powered galleys and employed "hit-and-run" tactics, its navy could hold its own against Britain in the Mediterranean.
This effort would also accelerate the development of naval steam engines, paving the way for future heavy steam-powered warships.
Initially, Joseph had planned to wait for France's economy to improve before pursuing advanced ship designs. But circumstances now demanded immediate action.
Failing to secure the Mediterranean trade routes would render North Africa a burden rather than an asset. France's ambitious projects in Egypt and the Suez Canal would be jeopardized, risking a repeat of Napoleon's failed North African campaign.
Joseph promptly noted plans for Murdoch and his engineers to relocate to Brittany—France's shipbuilding hub and a key source of skilled sailors.
Given the revolutionary nature of steam-powered ships, Joseph realized he would need to oversee the project personally.
Shifting focus from naval matters to diplomacy, Joseph turned to France's alliances.
Spain and Russia
Spain was France's most natural ally. Thanks to his good rapport with Carlos IV and their secret agreements concerning Gibraltar and Portugal, Joseph was confident Spain would side with France in any continental war.
Russia, however, posed a challenge.
An alliance seemed unlikely, given Russia's deep trade ties with Britain. If Britain imposed strict sanctions, France could not make up for the resulting trade deficit.
This explained why Napoleon's Continental Blockade failed in Russia. The blockade was enforceable across much of Europe but faltered in Russia, leading to the catastrophic invasion.
Joseph did not intend to repeat that mistake. Instead, his goal was to prevent Russia from joining Britain's coalition.
To achieve this, Joseph planned to:
Expand Franco-Russian trade: Deepening economic ties would make Russia less inclined to abandon France.Invest in the Donbas region: Increased collaboration in resource development would entangle Russia in shared interests.
If necessary, Joseph could also exploit Russian-Austrian rivalries in the Balkans. However, this strategy would depend on evolving circumstances.
Austria
France's relationship with Austria was currently stable. Leopold II was a pragmatic ruler with a good sense of the bigger picture and seemed unlikely to entangle Austria in Anglo-French conflicts.
However, Leopold II's reign was expected to be short-lived—Joseph remembered from history that he would die early next year.
His successor, Francis II, was a conservative and impulsive ruler with limited capabilities. Francis's susceptibility to British influence made Austria's long-term stance uncertain.
If Austria eventually opposed France, it could open opportunities:
Control Northern Italy:Austria dominated Northern Italy's prosperous regions, and much of the peninsula was under Habsburg influence.A Franco-Austrian conflict would remove diplomatic constraints, allowing France to seize these territories.Collaborate with Sardinia:By supporting Sardinia's ambitions for Italian unification, France could drive Austria out of the peninsula.Even conceding parts of Italy to Sardinia would position France for strategic advantages against Austria.
This strategy mirrored historical events, with Napoleon leveraging Sardinia to eject Austria from Italy.
Other Nations
Prussia and the Netherlands were firmly within Britain's sphere of influence. Joseph did not see value in courting them.
However, Napoleon's historical strategy of outright conquest—such as annexing the Netherlands—was unwise. Such actions provoked fear among German states, pushing them toward Prussia's leadership.
If the Netherlands became too problematic, Joseph would consider a swift strike to capture Amsterdam. But any occupation would be brief, with immediate withdrawal following a Dutch surrender.
Dutch naval assets, on the other hand, would need to be destroyed or incorporated into France's fleet to neutralize the threat.
[Note 1]: Britain's military expenditures during the Napoleonic Wars included significant subsidies to its allies. However, its naval budget—eventually reaching 500 million francs annually—was funded entirely by Britain itself.
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