Chapter 154: Naval Grand Parade
"My beloved people, the year 1902 has passed, and it was a significant one for Australia. We completed a short segment of railway, built more industrial zones and factories, expanded our army and navy, and for the first time, exported our mineral resources and various weapons and equipment—including warships." Only when the cheers of the crowd died down did Arthur begin his speech.
"In terms of public welfare, we constructed more hospitals and schools, ensuring access to medical care and education for more people. At the same time, our various development projects created a large number of new jobs. In just one year, more than 30,000 Australians found positions suited to them. From the beginning to the end of 1902, our per capita annual income increased by a full two pounds, reaching over twelve pounds. Compared to the early days of the Principality of Australia, this figure has risen by four pounds, providing a solid foundation for improving everyone's standard of living," Arthur said proudly.
Though this figure couldn't compare to those of European countries, it still marked significant progress relative to Australia's own past.
New Zealand, with a very similar background and geography, had maintained a per capita income of around eleven pounds, meaning Australia had now overtaken it.
At this, the applause and cheers in the audience became unstoppable, as people once again shouted in joy.
After a brief pause, Arthur continued, "Today, I'm delighted to stand together with all of you to witness the second military parade since the founding of Australia—and the very first naval parade."
"As a large island nation, the navy is extremely important to Australia. Due to various circumstances, Australia does not currently possess any battleships. But rest assured, this is only temporary—and it must change. The navy I envision for Australia is a world-class force composed of powerful fleets of battleships. Though we are still far from this goal, I am confident and firmly believe Australia will achieve it," Arthur said with a smile.
Although Australia had no immediate plans to expand its battleship fleet, offering some reassurance was necessary.
After all, the topic of dreadnoughts couldn't be openly discussed. Arthur couldn't very well tell the public that in just a few years, a powerful new class of warship would render existing battleships obsolete.
Under such conditions, refraining from expanding the battleship fleet while still maintaining public confidence in the navy was the best course of action.
Most Australians remained hopeful after hearing Arthur's vision for the navy's future.
It was widely known that Australia had already mastered battleship construction technology. Many Australians believed the only reason construction hadn't begun was due to current economic constraints.
Once economic development caught up, they assumed the government would naturally begin building battleships, and Australia's navy would join the ranks of the world's elite.
In the stands, several officials from New Zealand looked on with envy. Like during the last parade, they were invited colonial government officials from New Zealand.
Since Arthur had established a political council in New Zealand and gained the loyalty of the Union Party, relations between Australia and New Zealand had grown even closer. Not only had some New Zealanders moved to Australia for work, but economic exchanges between the colonial government of New Zealand and the Principality of Australia had also become increasingly active.
This was a development Arthur was pleased to see. The smoother the relations between Australia and New Zealand, the easier their eventual unification would be.
One reason many New Zealanders had come to work in Australia was the lack of job opportunities at home. Another was that Australia's wages far exceeded New Zealand's per capita income. Combined with more generous welfare policies and reliable pay, it made Australia an attractive destination.
Moreover, the two nations shared the same roots—similar cultures, languages, and origins—which meant most New Zealanders felt little resistance to relocating to Australia.
There was also the matter of distance: Australia and New Zealand were not far apart. The only method of transport between them was by sea, which took about two to three days.
Was that long? Not really.
For New Zealanders working in Australia, a short leave was enough time to return home if needed.
Because Arthur had specifically instructed both governments, neither Australia nor New Zealand placed any restrictions on people traveling between the two regions.
According to the 1902 reports, economic exchange between New Zealand and Australia had nearly tripled. The total import-export trade volume reached more than £40,000.
Of course, a large portion of that was Australian exports to New Zealand. Some of Australia's initial industrial products had entered New Zealand, securing a portion of its market.
New Zealand's strengths were agriculture, animal husbandry, and certain mineral resources.
However, these were not in short supply in Australia; in fact, Australia had ample reserves and exported such goods itself. As a result, the trade balance heavily favored Australia, with New Zealand primarily importing goods.
This was good news for Australia. The more New Zealand's economy depended on Australia, the closer their eventual union would become.
Inviting New Zealand colonial officials to both military parades had this exact purpose: to show them Australia's progress and allow them to imagine similar changes occurring in New Zealand.
To better spread what they had witnessed, each parade included officials from different political factions.
These officials generally fell into four groups: former colonial government officials, members of the Labour and Union parties, and military representatives.
At present, Arthur had effectively secured control over the colonial government officials and those affiliated with the Union Party.
With oversight from these two factions, Arthur was confident that the observations of the New Zealand officials would be spread throughout New Zealand as soon as the very next day.
(End of Chapter)
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