With Franz's intervention, the Admiralty's All-Big-Gun Battleship program passed as a matter of course.
There was neither any fanfare nor any deliberate secrecy.
After all, it was only an experimental vessel. No one could guarantee success. On the path of exploring naval technology, the Vienna Government had already stumbled into far too many pitfalls.
Without exception, every failure attracted a crowd of armchair strategists afterward, lambasting the Admiralty as though it were useless and capable only of wasting taxpayers' money.
In truth, failed attempts at new technology were nothing remarkable. The key was that the navy lacked a convincing record of battle. Had it been the army, with its formidable achievements, there would never have been such criticism.
"A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit."
Having learned from its earlier experiences, the Admiralty adopted a low-key approach whenever it explored new technologies and new concepts.
If it succeeded, it would announce the news and enjoy the applause. If it failed, it would naturally swallow the bitter fruit in silence.
This was the price that had to be paid for walking at the forefront of the age. In scientific research, there had never been such a thing as perpetual victory without defeat. Behind every success stood countless failures piled one upon another.
Of course, failures differed from one another as well. It was forgivable if an experimental vessel failed to meet its design specifications or lacked practical combat capability, but the fundamental principles of mechanics still had to be obeyed.
If a ship sank before even leaving the harbor, then someone had to be held accountable.
Avoiding publicity was one thing, but there was no need for "secrecy." In fact, once a massive thing like a warship went onto the slipway, it could no longer be kept secret.