"Wind Gun?" Lord Hawkesbury looked in surprise at the military adviser standing by the door.
The latter hurried to his side and said in a low voice, "It seems to be a rapid-fire gun developed by the Austrians, my lord. Driven by high-pressure air chambers, it can fire twenty times in half a minute.
"However, it leaks badly. It needs major repairs after three uses and still requires refinement."
Lord Hawkesbury immediately shook his head. "Only mature weapons belong on the battlefield. I believe we should still focus on equipping Percussion Cap Guns."
Count Bellegarde hurriedly said, "Please believe me, this is absolutely an epoch-making weapon! In fact, we have already equipped one corps with it, but its complex manufacturing process means output is still relatively low."
"And what do you propose?"
"I hope your country can participate in developing the Wind Gun. Ideally, you would invest 500,000 Florins to expand the factory that produces it."
500,000 Florins amounted to 50,000 Pound Sterling.
Lord Hawkesbury refused outright. "I'm sorry, but I have not been authorized to invest in new weapons."
Franz II urgently asked the Briton, "You also mentioned earlier that you could persuade Saxony to join the war?"
Saxony was also one of the more powerful German States.
Lord Hawkesbury had clearly come prepared. Smiling, he said, "Your Majesty, have you forgotten the German Common Defense System? If they refuse, then as Emperor of the Empire, you have the right to punish them."
All the Austrian ministers present inwardly marveled at British cunning.
The so-called "German Common Defense" was a provision in the Imperial War Law passed by the Parliament of the Holy Roman Empire in the fifteenth century. As one of the Prince-Electors of the Holy Roman Empire, Saxony was obligated to send troops in support whenever a