London, Whitehall.
The members of Parliament had few objections to going to war with Austria, but they were somewhat concerned. Was it really wise to fight two great powers, Austria and France, at the same time?
"Prime Minister! We know you deployed a fleet in the Mediterranean long ago, but we have yet to win a decisive victory in our war against the French.
Does intervening in the Italian question and taking on Austria at this point seem a little too rash?"
John Russell shook his head.
"Members, we must look ahead. The only countries in the world that can compete with us for colonies are France and Austria.
"And I wonder how many of you have ever used Austrian goods? They're sturdy, durable, and cheap.
"If not for their weak navy and their own narrow-mindedness, they might well surpass France and become our greatest competitor.
"To this day, not a single company in our entire country has managed to make a copy of an Austrian sewing machine. There's no doubt that this is a tremendous disgrace.
"But I think it's more important to snuff out this spark of a threat to us before it catches fire than to worry about our honor."
A wave of enthusiastic applause immediately rang out below. After all, for centuries, Britain had made a business of protecting its own trade and striking at its competitors. The financial magnates behind those members of Parliament loved to hear talk like this.
Of course, John Russell wasn't the only one who had used Austrian goods. Most members of Parliament had, since he wasn't the only wealthy man among them.
The richer people were, the more they liked to buy high-end luxury goods from abroad. That was the only way to be different and show off their individuality.