"Your Highness, don't be so lacking in confidence. Our price isn't high. Once they send the news back home, so long as the leadership of both countries hasn't gone mad, they'll understand the importance of winning us over.
"We were too mild before. We made them forget the importance of time.
"Release the news that our fleet is ready to set sail."
Prince Schwarzenberg found Franz's order somewhat unbelievable. By his reckoning, they should at least determine who was friend and who was foe before taking action. After all, Britain's Mediterranean Fleet was still there.
If possible, Prince Schwarzenberg still hoped to eliminate this hidden danger first. The Austrian Imperial Navy's forces were limited at present, and splitting them up was simply too risky.
But if they could first distinguish friend from foe, there would be no problem. If they supported the Americans, they could directly wipe out Britain's Mediterranean Fleet first. If they supported the British, then there would be no need to worry about a sneak attack from the Mediterranean Fleet.
But now—
"Your Majesty, isn't this too risky? The situation is still unclear. If our fleet leaves rashly, we may very well be attacked."
"No. So long as we release the rumor, the British and Americans will move faster than we do."
"But what if neither Britain nor the United States acts?"
"Then have the troop transports set sail first. The West Indies are our target anyway. Let the army stand by in Nicaragua first."
Franz paused, then added, "Rest assured, our troop transports cannot possibly be attacked. Setting aside whether intercepting troop transports at sea is even feasible, they have no reason to attack them before our country has entered the war."
Prince Schwarzenberg still had doubts, but he knew this was not the time to