Chereads / Blood and Iron Germany[Part Two] / Chapter 282 - Chapter 0852: A Profitable Venture

Chapter 282 - Chapter 0852: A Profitable Venture

The last battleship to be auctioned was the five "Kaiser-class" battleships, which were the centerpiece of this auction. These five ships were the Kaiser, Frederick the Great, Catherine, King Albert, and Prince Louis-Philippe. Although these were decommissioned ships from the German Navy, they had only been in service for four to five years, making them cutting-edge warships. Their performance was exceptional, ranking among the finest battleships in the world.

If one were to purchase these battleships, they would serve as formidable capital ships for a long time. Of course, as newer capital ships are launched, these would gradually become outdated. However, for some smaller nations, these ships would still be irreplaceable as main battle units.

"The next item for auction is the Kaiser battleship, with a starting price of forty million marks!" announced Admiral Hippler.

Although the starting price of forty million marks was not insignificant, it did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the bidding nations. Especially with only these five battleships remaining, none were willing to let this opportunity slip away. The Austro-Hungarian Empire, in particular, was determined to acquire all these ships.

"Sixty million marks!" The Crown Prince Karl immediately raised the bid by twenty million marks as soon as the auction began.

"Sixty-five million marks!" However, this price did not intimidate the other bidders.

"Seventy million marks!" Pasha Fatih raised the bid next.

"Seventy-five million marks!" Crown Prince Karl gritted his teeth and outbid him, glaring fiercely at both Pasha Fatih and the representative from Chile. But both ignored him, undeterred by his hostility. This infuriated Crown Prince Karl, and he vowed to not forget this once the Austro-Hungarian Empire had grown stronger, ensuring that both the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Chile would pay the price.

"Seventy-eight million marks!" The Chilean representative raised the bid again.

"Eighty million marks!" Pasha Fatih continued bidding.

"Eighty-two million marks!" Crown Prince Karl, scowling, raised the stakes.

After a moment's hesitation, the Chilean representative decided to withdraw.

However, Pasha Fatih further increased his bid to eighty-five million marks.

Reluctantly, Crown Prince Karl raised the bid to eighty-eight million marks. At this point, Pasha Fatih conceded defeat.

Yet, he soon realized his mistake, for the upcoming battleships would command even higher prices.

The auction of the second Frederick the Great battleship became even more intense. Both the Republic of Chile and the Ottoman Empire sought to secure one or two more capital ships. With only four remaining, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire determined to acquire these ships, the competition grew fiercer.

The price quickly exceeded the previous record set by the Kaiser at eighty-eight million marks, reaching ninety million marks. This was the bid from Crown Prince Karl, but the Chilean representative and Pasha Fatih did not back down.

In the end, the Chilean representative bid an astronomical ninety-four million marks. Pasha Fatih and Crown Prince Karl finally conceded, as they could easily procure a comparable battleship for that price.

The auction for the Catherine battleship became a direct competition between Pasha Fatih and Crown Prince Karl. The price quickly surged from forty million marks to ninety million marks.

When Crown Prince Karl bid ninety-two million marks, Pasha Fatih withdrew. Eventually, the Catherine battleship was secured by Crown Prince Karl.

Pasha Fatih's withdrawal was a calculated move to make Crown Prince Karl spend as much as possible. He hoped that, in subsequent bids, Karl might run out of funds and be forced to abandon the auction, giving him the chance to secure a battleship at a lower price.

Little did Pasha Fatih know, Crown Prince Karl had secured a two-hundred-million-dollar loan from the Americans, and his funds remained abundant. Moreover, the Austro-Hungarian Empire had not secured any ships thus far, leaving them well-financed for the remaining bids.

The auction for the Prince Albert battleship saw another battle between Pasha Fatih and Crown Prince Karl. After surpassing ninety million marks, Pasha Fatih persisted, bidding ninety-three million marks. Crown Prince Karl immediately raised the bid to ninety-five million marks, marking the highest bid of the auction for any of the capital ships.

Pasha Fatih finally relinquished, though a faint smile crept across his face.

"Hmph! After spending so much, I don't believe the Austro-Hungarian Empire has enough funds left for the last battleship! Perhaps I can secure it for under eighty million marks!" Pasha Fatih thought to himself, believing his strategy had worked.

Crown Prince Karl, not a fool, had already discerned Pasha Fatih's intentions. However, he was unfazed, knowing he still had ample funds for the final auction.

"The final battleship for auction—the Prince Louis-Philippe—is now open, with a starting price of forty million marks!" announced Admiral Hippler.

A grin spread across Admiral Hippler's face, for he never anticipated the bidding would reach such high levels. Without a doubt, the German Empire had made a significant profit from this auction.

"Fifty million marks!" Pasha Fatih bid.

"Sixty million marks!" Crown Prince Karl responded.

Pasha Fatih frowned but pressed on with a sixty-five million mark bid.

However, Crown Prince Karl raised the price to seventy million marks without a second thought.

At this, Pasha Fatih's expression soured. He realized his earlier assumptions were wrong.

"Eighty million marks!" Pasha Fatih bid.

"Eighty-five million marks!" Crown Prince Karl immediately responded.

"How could they still have so much money?" Pasha Fatih's face darkened, but he refused to concede. Reluctantly, he raised the bid once more.

"Eighty-eight million marks!"

"Nine million marks!"

"Ninety-two million marks!"

"Ninety-three million marks!"

The price continued to soar higher!