The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1510: Chapter 251: Britain’s Upheaval_3

Once the Cabinet collapses, even if it’s still the Whig Party in power, the new Prime Minister is bound to be a moderate Whig who opposes the ”Ireland Taxation Bill.”

For most people, this might be good news.

But for Arthur, this news couldn’t be worse.

Because a moderate Whig implies that, when selecting Cabinet members and making personnel decisions, individuals like Lord Brougham and Earl of Durham, such radicals, would certainly not be considered.

Although Arthur doesn’t like radicals either, from a political standpoint, he could even be regarded as a moderate Conservative.

However, his livelihood comes precisely from those radical members of the Whig Party.

If the Cabinet is reshuffled and a mess occurs in Russia, the failing Earl of Durham would inevitably be sidelined, and how would the new Foreign Secretary treat him, Arthur, who is favored by Lord Brougham and Earl of Durham?

Or, to think less pessimistically, even if nothing happens in Russia, with the precedence of the ”Ireland Taxation Bill,” would the new Prime Minister be confident enough to transfer a student of radicals back to London? Perhaps they would do the opposite, simply letting Arthur languish with Earl of Durham in Russia.

From Arthur’s perspective, rather than electing a moderate Whig, it would be better to invite a true Tory like the Duke of Wellington to come back!

After all, the Duke of Wellington has witnessed Arthur’s efforts.

At this moment, Arthur felt as if the position of the Madras commissioner in India was beckoning to him.

The cold wind made Arthur shiver violently, yet the seasoned British gentleman knows that, at such moments of life and death, one must maintain a calm mind.

However, inevitably, he was still filled with a bit of ”anger surged from the heart, and malice grew by the side.”

He originally intended to properly handle the task in the Caucasus, to show his capabilities before White Hall, and to leave a brilliant mark on his illustrious resume.

But if the price of showcasing his capabilities is to remain in Russia or be dispatched to India or Australia, then to reduce variables and pave the way back to London, he could consider using unconventional measures such as a strategic retreat or demotion.

To disgust the Russians, Sir David Eckett could forgo a position like the Consul in Constantinople, so his position as the Cultural Counsellor in Russia held no particular attachment.

However, before being dismissed or resigning voluntarily, Arthur must maximize the use of his resources and powers, to squeeze out as much value from this position as possible, so he could leave some significant legacy for his future comeback.

Just like Sir David, although he lost the trust of the Foreign Office because of his deep involvement in the Caucasus, he will gain the favor of the anti-Russian and Liberal groups back home through his achieved reputation, ensuring a hopeful future if he runs for Parliament.

As for Arthur, he definitely doesn’t have the strong background and elite network that Sir David does. Although he has some financial resources, he is not too interested in such a large and unstable endeavor as becoming an MP.

Therefore, he cannot act as extremely as Sir David and get labeled as ”unreliable” by the system.

Temporarily leaving is just for a better return, while also taking the opportunity to disgust the Foreign Secretary Viscount Palmerston, who is connected to the Liverpool explosion.

At this thought, Arthur’s internal roadmap gradually became clearer.

He suddenly asked Blackwell, ”Did you just say that the merchants doing business in the Ottoman Empire are buying newspapers and magazines like ’Blackwood’s’ to exaggerate the Russian threat?”