After 1842, which had been a year worth commemorating for the British Empire in many ways, a new year dawned.
The unprecedented event of the Queen visiting a colony had run into trouble and escalated into the American–Mexican War, but in the end almost all the benefits were taken by the British Empire.
When this news belatedly spread throughout Britain through the newspapers, citizens of the Empire once again rushed to taverns in groups, their patriotic fervor overflowing.
[The Majesty of the British Empire that Devoured America! Canada Now Larger than India!]
[His Highness the Prince Consort, Who Conquered the New World After Asia!]
[The Entire Pacific in the Hands of the British Empire! The True Meaning of the Treaty of Kingston!]
The Morning Post, which James had acquired under Killian's instruction, printed a rough map on its front page and distributed the newspapers all across London.
After all, no matter how much one talked about Oregon or Alaska, the easiest way to understand it was to show it clearly on a map.
The Morning Post also compared the approximate sizes of the British Isles and India next to Canada so readers could immediately grasp how large British Canada had become.
The British Empire had already risen as the strongest power in Europe. After securing India and winning the war against Qing China, it had firmly established itself as a hegemon in Asia.
But in the Americas, it was difficult to deny that Britain had lost influence after the independence of the United States.
Therefore, the fact that influence had been regained once again carried considerable meaning.
Even without much knowledge, one could easily see from the map that the British Empire now controlled the Pacific coast.
More than anything, the sheer size of Canada's landmass was so striking that ordinary citizens were even more enthusiastic about this achievement than the intellectuals.
"They say the land we gained this time alone is larger than our entire country?"
"Not just large. Even if you include Ireland it's several times bigger!"
"Wait, the war was fought between the United States and Mexico, but we ended up taking the most land? What kind of situation is this?"
"Well, the one who handled it was His Highness the Prince Consort. Isn't that only natural? During the Qing affair, he was sent to resolve a trade dispute and ended up turning the best ports into British territory."
"If you think about it like that, Her Majesty the Queen truly married well. She has a good eye for men."
Then as now, the simplest and most reliable way to capture public enthusiasm was territorial expansion.
Why else would people idolize conquering monarchs?
The economic effects of expanded territory? The practical benefits?
Scholars and intellectuals might consider such things later, but most people simply rejoiced at the fact that their nation's territory had grown.
This tendency became even stronger when there were clear and intuitive phrases such as "the newly acquired land is several times larger than Britain itself" or "British Canada has become larger than India."
By the time Benjamin Disraeli and Henry Palmerston returned to Britain, this wave of praise had reached its peak.
Judging that this was the perfect moment, Disraeli reported the results of the negotiations in Parliament while openly highlighting Killian's achievements.
"Honorable members of Parliament, as I mentioned earlier, Mr. Palmerston and I played little role in this matter. Therefore, I will not say that the credit for the Treaty of Kingston belongs to the Conservative Party, which happens to be the ruling party. I believe Mr. Palmerston, who attended as the representative of the Whigs, feels the same way."
"I agree," Palmerston replied.
"In this matter, Mr. Disraeli and I merely carried out the requests of His Highness the Prince Consort. Pressuring and persuading Mexico and the United States, purchasing that vast land from Mexico for only two and a half million pounds, and resolving the Oregon territorial dispute at the same time—these achievements belong entirely to His Highness."
Palmerston had said this in order to prevent the Conservatives from monopolizing the credit.
But if neither the Conservatives nor the Whigs had played a decisive role, then there was only one conclusion.
The Treaty of Kingston had been entirely the work of Killian Gore.
Having established this as a fact in Parliament, Disraeli cleared his throat and began his speech.
"Honorable members, I believe none of you are unaware of what this achievement means or what great opportunities it brings us. Still, allow me to explain. With this treaty we now hold not only the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean, but also the Pacific Ocean. In other words, expanding our influence into Asia will become far easier in the future.
Furthermore, we can now naturally restrain the United States from expanding across North America and reaching the Pacific!"
"But the lands in Alaska and the Pacific coast were purchased with money, were they not?"
"Alaska was purchased by the Royal Family with private investment, so not a single penny of tax money was used. And reports are already coming from Canada. Many members here may have heard that the amount of resources being discovered in Alaska is extraordinary."
"I have heard that enormous coal deposits may exist there. But the exact scale has not yet been confirmed, correct?"
"Of course the precise amount is unknown, but it is said to rival any territory the British Empire possesses. And resources even more valuable than coal are reportedly being discovered."
Few resources were more important than coal, whose demand was growing every day.
When Disraeli had first heard that gold had been discovered in Alaska, he himself had been astonished.
But now was not the time to reveal that publicly, so he merely hinted at it.
"It is fortunate that the new lands are not worthless. But that is not the point you wished to make, is it?"
"Indeed. The important question is how we develop and defend this valuable land. As the saying goes, it is easy to seize land but difficult to keep it. Canada has now become a place the British Empire must protect at all costs."
Because Britain was an island nation, it had always fought fiercely to secure and defend strategic locations abroad.
Gibraltar, in southern Spain, was the perfect example.
Britain's dominance over the Atlantic owed much to its control of that fortress.
Likewise, Britain's constant vigilance against Russia stemmed from the possibility that Russia might threaten India.
Now that Canada had become both a treasure house of resources and the key to controlling the Pacific, it had to be protected at any cost.
At Disraeli's passionate speech, members from both parties nodded without objection.
Protecting Canada served the interests of the British Empire and restrained the United States at the same time.
There was no reason to oppose it.
"However, through this incident I realized one thing clearly," Disraeli continued.
"The United States will never abandon its ambition for territorial expansion. When His Highness purchased the Pacific territories from Mexico, the Americans even intervened and offered three times the price if the land were sold to them instead."
William Gladstone frowned.
"Are you suggesting the United States might attack Canada in order to secure the Pacific? That would mean war with the British Empire. They may be greedy, but they are not foolish."
"Of course there is no such danger now," Disraeli replied.
"I am speaking of decades in the future. Mr. Palmerston also discussed this matter with His Highness and may remember."
Palmerston scratched his head briefly before nodding.
"Yes. At the time, I found the reasoning quite convincing."
"You see? His Highness fears the collapse of the European balance. Who can say another man like Napoleon will never appear? Even if not, Russia has not abandoned its expansionist ambitions. If Russia were to plunge Europe into war again, and the United States expanded westward at that time, would we have the strength to defend Canada?"
"Russia certainly is a variable."
Predictions were already circulating that the growing Great Game between Britain and Russia might one day erupt into open conflict.
"Furthermore," Disraeli continued, "His Highness expressed concern that if Germany were unified, it might become a power even stronger than France. Should that happen, Europe might once again be engulfed in war."
"That is unlikely," someone replied.
"The German states will never unite."
"I personally think that concern may be excessive as well," Disraeli admitted.
"But history often proves that the events people dismiss as impossible are precisely the ones that occur. The point is that there may come a time when Britain must focus entirely on Europe and cannot spare troops elsewhere. Therefore we must raise Canada to a level where it can at least restrain the United States on its own."
"But if a colony grows too large…"
"That very thinking caused the American colonies to rebel and leave the Empire!" Disraeli interrupted.
"That mistake must never—never—be repeated!"
At the mention of that painful episode in British history, Gladstone sighed quietly and did not continue his argument.
Instead, he shifted the discussion toward practical measures.
"Canada possesses vast land and limitless potential, but it lacks the population necessary to support it. Without population, it will be difficult to match the growth of the United States."
"That is why we are promoting immigration policies."
"Settling Irish and Black migrants was certainly the best initial choice. But the absolute numbers are still far too small."
"That is why His Highness proposes accepting immigrants from Asia as well. He has already prepared incentives to attract them, and he believes the results will be promising. In addition, we must maintain good relations with the indigenous people who already live there and gradually integrate them."
So far, nearly everything Killian had attempted had succeeded.
But there remained one problem.
"However… the Prince Consort's term as High Commissioner will soon expire, will it not?"
"That is correct. In my opinion, promoting large-scale immigration will be difficult under those circumstances. Even before that, we must stabilize the newly acquired territories. If His Highness were suddenly removed from Canadian affairs, confusion would be inevitable. I asked the Governor-General discreetly, and he said he could never manage it alone."
"That is understandable. Most of the people living in Canada are not connected to England. Many are Irish or Black, and Asian immigrants will soon arrive as well."
"In that case the answer is clear," Disraeli concluded.
"It is practically impossible to unite all these groups by force. Instead, we must present a symbol that they can all trust and follow."
"And there is only one person capable of fulfilling that role."
No one present needed to ask who that person was.
He was already supported overwhelmingly by Irish and Black communities, and half of the blood in his veins came from an Asian royal family.
Who else could better represent the Asian immigrants of the Empire?
"Then perhaps the Prince Consort's term as High Commissioner should be extended indefinitely…"
"That alone is insufficient," Disraeli said.
"The title of High Commissioner lacks symbolic weight. Therefore, although it goes against tradition, I propose creating a new title—Duke of Canada—and attaching the High Commissioner's office to it."
"That would make him almost equivalent to a European king. It is excessive."
"Not at all. The High Commissioner would not exercise absolute power. Administration would be handled by the Governor-General and officials recommended equally by both parties. His role would simply be to guide the direction of Canada."
Eventually, Disraeli's proposal was understood for what it truly was.
It was meant to create a symbol that could unite the immigrants of a future immigrant nation.
And if that symbol was the Prince Consort of the British royal family—
No policy could be more effective.
After all, the title of Duke of Canada would eventually pass to Killian's son.
And who would that son be?
The future King of the British Empire.
"The granting of titles is naturally Her Majesty's prerogative," Disraeli declared, "but because this would be the creation of a colonial title unprecedented in our history, I present the matter to Parliament first. So that Canada may remain part of the British Empire not for ten years—but for a hundred years, two hundred years! The time has come for Parliament to take action!"
"I support it!"
"The Pacific must never fall into American hands! The Pacific must belong to the British Empire alone!"
Thunderous applause erupted.
Even Palmerston now admitted that Canada was best left in Killian's hands.
No one among the Whigs opposed the proposal.
After all, this concerned a colony, and colonies already had governors.
But neither Palmerston nor Gladstone—nor even Disraeli—could foresee what kind of consequences the creation of the title Duke of Canada, the development of Canada, and the wave of immigrants would bring in the distant future.