December 26, 1900, the first day after the Christmas holiday ended.
With the time to return to Australia drawing ever nearer, the entire Diplomatic Delegation began hurriedly packing for the journey home.
The fleet's sailors were also taking inventory of supplies and building up reserves for consumption at sea.
At such a busy time, Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrew and minister of industry Pierre traveled together to Ladenburg to meet Karl Benz, whom Arthur had specifically instructed them to win over and befriend.
Though the two ministers did not know much about Karl Benz or the company he belonged to, since Arthur had personally given the order, they took the matter very seriously and showed Benz not the slightest contempt.
In a small restaurant in Ladenburg, the two ministers successfully met Karl Benz, the "Father of the Automobile."
Benz was already fifty-six years old, yet he was still fighting on the front lines of automotive research and development.
Perhaps because he had been summoned so suddenly, Benz's clothes were covered in dust, with several conspicuous oil stains on them. He looked no different from an ordinary commoner.
"Gentlemen, you are?" The one who had informed Benz was the mayor of Ladenburg, so Benz naturally assumed that the two ministers were high-ranking German officials.
"Are you Mr. Karl Friedrich Benz, the owner of Benz Rhein Automobile Company?" Minister Andrew asked patiently.
The two veteran officials who had risen through British politics would not disdain Mr. Benz for his somewhat disheveled appearance. After all, he was a talent Arthur had personally instructed them to recruit.
"That would be me, gentlemen. Is there something you need?" Benz nodded and asked curiously.
Although Benz and his automobiles had caused quite a stir at the previous Munich Exposition, that was only within the business world.