Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Returning Home

Translator: 549690339 |

Above the ship cabin, Arthur looked at the not-so-heavy briefcase in his hand and fell into a moment of contemplation.

Honestly, Arthur had basically guessed what was in the briefcase that Queen Victoria had given him.

That Princess Beatrice would personally deliver it and even specially instruct that it could not be used for five years, it must be very important to both Arthur and Queen Victoria.

Combined with the conversation with Queen Victoria today, the contents of the briefcase are becoming obvious.

“Ah!” Arthur sighed, his heart full of gratitude to Queen Victoria.

Queen Victoria’s ability to entrust such important things to Arthur actually meant that she chose the latter between her son and grandson, even if the future actions of the latter would cause a huge impact on the British Empire created by Queen Victoria.

It took two days from Australia to New Zealand and four days from New Zealand to Australia.

It wasn’t that Arthur took a detour in the process, but he was in a hurry when he came and wasn’t so rushed when he left.

As one of the few large colonies in Oceania apart from the Australian mainland, New Zealand is different from Australia.

If Australia is the country sitting on the mining cart, then New Zealand is the kingdom of livestock and the kingdom of sheep.

Moreover, due to its excellent geographical location, New Zealand can serve as a barrier to Australia’s east and control the entire Oceania by controlling Australia and New Zealand.

The larger areas of Oceania, apart from Australia and New Zealand, are just British New Guinea, which is divided between Britain and Germany.

In 1906, British New Guinea was handed over to Australia for administration, and now it seems that the time frame can be moved forward.

As far as the German territories are concerned, as long as Germany participates in World War I, Australia can take the opportunity to occupy them.

In other words, the territory of New Guinea is basically a nailed-down piece of fat for Australia and can serve as an excellent northern barrier and springboard for Australia.

The reason Arthur slowed down on his way back was to investigate the distance and geography between New Zealand and Australia.

Unlike the fate of British New Guinea, New Zealand has always been in the hands of the British Empire, and even after 1907 when it became a self- governing territory, politics, diplomacy, and the economy were still under the control of the British Empire.

It wasn’t until 1947 that New Zealand gained full independence but became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, still following the British monarch as the head of state.

All of this can be attributed to Britain’s long-standing policy of continental equilibrium, i.e., at least two evenly matched countries must emerge on a continent.

But with Queen Victoria’s bottom cards in his hand, Arthur might not be unable to take control of New Zealand from Edward unless he does not want to lose the throne.

Four days passed in a flash, and by the time Arthur finished his exploration, the warship had already sailed into Sydney Harbour.

Because of a low-profile approach, not many people greeted him, only Hunter Steward and Governor Evan waiting in the harbor.

“Your Highness!”

Seeing Arthur escorted down from the warship by several royal guards, both men came forward and said, respectfully.

“Hunter Steward, how are my mother and Patricia?” Arthur asked with a smile.

Hunter Steward had been taking care of Arthur’s family since the time of Duke Arthur and was an assistant Arthur trusted very much.

“Very well, Your Highness. It’s just that the two young ladies have always wanted to go out and play in Sydney, but according to your orders, they are only allowed to move around near the Administrative Building, so they had to give up.” Hunter Steward’s face instantly filled with a smile when he mentioned Patricia and Margaret.

“Well, if they want to go out, let them. Australia is now stable, but they must have the necessary guards. Give the two young ladies 1000 pounds a month for expenses, let them have a good turn in Australia for the next couple of days!” Arthur said with a smile.

Previously, because he had just arrived in Australia, Arthur ordered his two sisters not to leave the Administrative Building too far away for safety reasons.

Now, Australia’s situation has stabilized, and the economy is booming.

It’s time to lift that order and let them explore their new home.

“Alright, Your Highness.” Hunter Steward nodded.

“Governor Evan, how is the voting in the House of Commons going?” Arthur turned his gaze to Governor Evan, who had been waiting for a long time, and asked out loud.

In Arthur’s absence, he had given a task to the House of Commons, which was to vote to determine the first Cabinet officers.

In order to ensure the authority and justice of the vote, the voting was divided into two rounds. In the first round, three candidates were elected for each Cabinet position, and in the second round, the detailed list of the Cabinet Government was determined.

“Very smoothly, Your Highness. Two days ago, we successfully determined the final list of candidates, now we are just waiting to elect the final list of the Cabinet Government under your witness.” Governor Evan said with a smile.

The election of the Cabinet Government was a relatively significant event for the country. Even though Arthur had ordered a speedy election, the House of Commons dared not determine the final list of Cabinet members without Arthur’s presence.

Therefore, the final election day has been continually postponed, and even now, just the first round of selection has just ended.

“Hmm, the progress needs to speed up. Notify all congressmen that the final election will be held in three days and determine the candidates for our Cabinet Government as soon as possible. The government’s various development projects should also be undertaken as soon as possible.” Arthur nodded and ordered.

Australia’s various developments are now in the golden age, but national development cannot proceed without a Cabinet Government.

Therefore, it is necessary to decide on the final list of the first Cabinet Government as quickly as possible and then move into the process of national development as soon as possible.

After all, the ultimate decision-maker for Australia’s development is still Arthur, and the Cabinet Government’s main role is to execute Arthur’s orders.

Therefore, for all Cabinet officers, loyalty is more important than ability.

“Yes, Your Highness.” Governor Evan hastily nodded.

For Governor Evan, this time is the easiest time for him to enter the cabinet.

First, he holds the positions of both governor and interim prime minister, and although his power is not very great, he has the highest prestige among all officers.

Secondly, because the capital of Australia is in New South Wales State, Governor Evan has been in contact with Arthur more than any other governor.

Winning Arthur’s favor and trust would only increase his chances of entering the Cabinet Government.