After careful consideration, the London Government still resolved to blockade the Baltic Sea. In fact, ever since the Berlin Government had agreed to take on the Russians' orders placed in Britain, the voices in Parliament opposing a Baltic blockade had vanished.
Anti-Russian policy had always been Britain's national policy. So long as no one's interests were harmed, naturally no one would object to giving the Russians a beating.
On January 11, 1866, the Royal Navy sealed off the entrance to the Baltic Sea under the pretext of suppressing pirates.
There was no such thing as a blockade of the Baltic Sea. It was merely that, out of concern for the safety of passing vessels, the Royal Navy recommended that everyone temporarily refrain from entering or leaving the Baltic Sea.
The advice had been given; whether to heed it was entirely voluntary. Just don't regret it if pirates robbed you.
The threat of "pirates" was terrifying. After two Russian merchant ships met with mishaps, everyone wisely chose to suspend this maritime trade route.
For a time, the British Foreign Office was piled high with protests from every country. Foreign Secretary Sir Reslin ordered them handled coldly, and then there was no then.
The continuation of the Prusso-Russian War was in the interests of France and Austria. With no great power stepping forward, all the small nations could do was protest.
In Franz's view, piecemeal tactics were the most draining way to wage war. The Russian Empire had failed to exploit its advantage in troop strength and simply crush Prussia outright; strategically, it had already lost.
Politicians saw matters differently from ordinary people. Winning a war did not necessarily mean victory, and losing one did not necessarily mean defeat.
History held too many classic examples. To ordinary people, it seemed the protagonist