Chapter 66: Christmas Eve Warship Tour
The negotiations between Arthur and Wilhelm II proceeded smoothly. In less than three hours, the framework of the aid treaty was established, including agreements on the purchase of key military-industrial technologies.
Whatever Wilhelm II's motives might have been, the treaty was all benefit and no harm for Australia.
With Germany's assistance added to the support from Britain, Australia's economy and industry were poised for a major boom.
Although the treaty also included several military provisions, the good news was that Wilhelm II did not explicitly demand Australia's participation in future wars.
Australia's only obligations were to provide resource support to Germany within six months of war breaking out, and, when feasible, to harass French colonial holdings.
That was an entirely acceptable arrangement for Arthur. As long as Australia didn't get directly entangled in the war, an escalation of conflict in Europe could only bring opportunities for profit.
After all, war often creates enormous wealth. Australia's military industry, backed by British and German technology, would be better received by both.
In wartime, armies prefer standardized weapons, as unified equipment improves familiarity and boosts combat effectiveness.
December 19, 1900, the day after the negotiations.
With the monarchs of both countries having agreed on the treaty framework, their respective officials began working on the details.
Because the framework was already set, the pace of negotiations moved quickly. The major sticking points had been resolved by Arthur and Wilhelm II—officials only needed to finalize the categories and proportions of aid.
Still, given that this was a massive aid plan totaling £75 million and involving advanced technologies and top-tier workers, negotiations took about five days to conclude fully.
It was fortunate for Australia. Because Wilhelm II wanted the treaty finalized before Christmas, several unresolved issues were hastily settled on December 23, the day before Christmas Eve, through German concessions.
This was the only feasible outcome. For two nations sincerely seeking cooperation, the burden of compromise naturally fell on the aid-giving party—Germany.
December 24, 1900 – Berlin, Germany.
Just in time for Christmas Eve, Germany and Australia completed all negotiations and printed the final version of the treaty. It was signed by both monarchs and officially came into effect.
The formal title of the treaty was: "Treaty on Comprehensive Aid and Cooperation Plans Between Germany and Australia in Berlin," abbreviated as the German-Australian "Berlin Accord."
Because parts of the agreement included wartime military operations and diplomatic support, only portions of the treaty were made public. Aside from aid-related clauses, other cooperative arrangements remained confidential.
Under the flashing cameras of the press, Wilhelm II and Arthur raised their respective copies of the treaty and posed for a smiling photo together.
With political matters concluded, Arthur and his delegation spent the remaining days resting and enjoying themselves.
After a brief Christmas holiday, Arthur would have to return to Australia to attend the government's annual report and planning meetings.
It had been nearly two months since he left Australia, much of that time spent at sea.
Truth be told, Arthur was starting to miss his estate—and the freedom of life in Australia.
To make up for what he considered less-than-ideal hospitality, Wilhelm II hosted a grand banquet on Christmas Eve, inviting Arthur and the entire diplomatic delegation.
A Christmas Eve banquet was a traditional event, and the gathering provided an excellent opportunity to connect with many German nobles and high-ranking officials—useful contacts for Australia's short-term development.
Thanks to Wilhelm II's enthusiastic introductions, Arthur received considerable attention at the event.
As a duke with real power and the legitimate grandson of the late Queen Victoria, Arthur was already quite well-known.
Several noble families even attempted to propose marriage alliances with him, but Arthur politely declined them all.
For now, he was enjoying the freedom of bachelorhood and had no intention of marrying soon. Perhaps it was also a matter of keeping some distance from Germany.
After all, following World War I, Germany's aristocracy would be swept away. The House of Hohenzollern and the dukes and counts of the various states would all lose their titles, reduced to mere wealthy civilians.
Still, Arthur had no issue building good relations with them. Traditional German arms dynasties like Krupp and Mauser were exactly the sort of connections he was cultivating.
When Germany eventually declined, Arthur hoped to recruit talent from those purged military-industrial enterprises to Australia.
After the massive Christmas Eve banquet came the official Christmas holiday.
As a traditional Christian celebration, the German Empire naturally observed it, and Wilhelm II was no exception.
However, to honor Arthur's visit, Wilhelm II personally invited him to tour a Braunschweig-class battleship—allowing him to witness the might of the German navy firsthand.
Compared to the massive warship, Australia's small vessels seemed like toys.
Battleships were currently the most powerful type of naval ship. As the mainstay of naval fleets worldwide, battleships represented national strength in both size and firepower.
Even in 1900, not many countries owned battleships—fewer than twenty.
And those with the ability to build them were even rarer. Beyond the great powers, very few nations had the technical capability to construct even outdated battleships.
For many regional powers, battleships were the stuff of dreams. The Ottoman Empire, for example, had once dreamt of owning two battleships and launched a nationwide fundraising campaign to purchase them, igniting passion and donations from the entire country.
When Britain failed to deliver those ships and effectively defaulted on the order, it caused widespread fury in both the Ottoman leadership and among the people.
This was one of the key reasons the Ottoman Empire joined the German side in World War I.
In this era, a single battleship could radically enhance a navy's combat strength—a game-changer in every sense.
Australia's navy was currently insignificant. But if it acquired even one battleship on par with those of the great powers, Australia's naval standing would immediately jump into the world's top thirty.
(End of Chapter)
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