Chapter 594: Tit for Tat
Given France's current circumstances, rapidly increasing maritime trade was no simple task.
Joseph absentmindedly finished his lunch, still unable to come up with an effective solution.
France's largest maritime trade hubs—America, Russia, and the Ottoman Empire—were already saturated. Trade with Russia was even overextended.
The only remaining option was expanding trade with the Ottoman Empire, but this would require prolonged diplomatic negotiations and conceding certain benefits. Even then, it would only increase France's maritime trade by 20% at most, offering little relief to the shortage of sailors.
With a sigh, Joseph resolved to leave this matter to Talleyrand, instructing him to negotiate with Selim III.
A Sudden Inspiration
As Joseph and his entourage left the dining hall to check on the repairs to the Indomitable, a naval officer hurried toward them. After saluting Joseph, he whispered something to Brest Fleet Commander Rogivaux.
Rogivaux frowned, lowering his voice:
"Have Commander Meyer dispatch a few ships to track them down and send me a full report afterward."
"Yes, sir." The officer left immediately.
Joseph asked casually, "What's the matter, Admiral?"
Rogivaux hesitated, clearly embarrassed. "It's nothing, Your Highness. One of our patrol ships spotted a smuggling vessel. They opened fire, killing a few of our sailors, and… well, they escaped."
This was undoubtedly a humiliation for the navy, losing sailors to smugglers and failing to capture them.
In this era, merchant ships—while less durable and lightly armed compared to warships—could still evade naval pursuit with clever maneuvering. A slight oversight by the navy often gave smugglers a chance to slip away.
Joseph, however, was struck by an idea.
If legitimate means couldn't boost trade, why not employ illicit ones?
He envisioned a state-supported smuggling initiative:
The government would encourage smuggling while providing covert assistance.The lure of massive profits would spur a surge in maritime activity.Smuggling would create a significant demand for sailors, easing the shortage.
Additionally, smuggled goods bypassing foreign tariffs would enhance the competitiveness of French products.
A win-win-win scenario!
The target markets would primarily be British-controlled colonies in North America and the Far East, as well as Portuguese colonies in South America. Britain and Portugal themselves, along with Northern Europe, could also be viable targets.
On the other hand, smuggling to established trade partners like Spain or Russia would be strictly prohibited to avoid straining alliances.
Would Britain and Portugal be angered by this? Undoubtedly.
But Joseph reasoned:
Britain was already preparing for war with France under its "continental balance" strategy. France's smuggling operations would merely add fuel to a fire already lit.Historically, Britain had been granting privateering licenses since the days of Queen Elizabeth I, encouraging its citizens to raid foreign ships. Even as recently as the early 18th century, Queen Anne had issued privateering permits, looting untold wealth from French and Spanish vessels.
If the British could pillage at will, surely the French were entitled to something as harmless as selling goods?
Grinning at the thought, Joseph clapped Rogivaux on the shoulder.
"Thank you for your assistance, Admiral!"
Rogivaux blinked, misinterpreting Joseph's tone as sarcasm. He stiffened, saluted, and declared loudly:
"Rest assured, Your Highness, I'll ensure those smugglers are caught within three days!"
Joseph nodded absently, his mind already racing. Organizing state-sanctioned smuggling would require meticulous planning and coordination across multiple departments. He resolved to return to Versailles to discuss the matter with Brienne and other officials.
Establishing a Naval Academy
Putting the smuggling idea aside for now, Joseph turned his attention back to the naval academy proposal.
"Your Highness," suggested Marquis de Castries, "the navy already has a well-equipped training facility in Vannes. We could expand it into a full-fledged academy, saving time and money."
Joseph nodded. "A reasonable suggestion. Based on an annual intake of 1,000 officers and specialists, how much funding would be required?"
The marquis hesitated. "Approximately 2 million francs."
Noticing Joseph's expression, he hastily added: "Though with some cuts, it might be possible to manage with 1.5 million francs…"
Joseph sighed inwardly—naval endeavors truly devoured funds. For comparison, France's entire network of army academies had cost less than this.
"Let's allocate the full 2 million francs," he said decisively. "If we're doing this, we'll do it properly."
Joseph chuckled to himself, realizing this would nearly exhaust the funds Carona had raised from Britain.
Troubling News
The following day, while inspecting the training grounds in Vannes, Eymond arrived with a military intelligence officer carrying an urgent report.
Breaking the seal, Joseph read it at once, his brow furrowing.
The report stated:
Austrian Chancellor Kaunitz had resigned.Thugut had succeeded him.Austria and Prussia were in the process of signing a peace agreement—as of a week ago.
"How could this happen so suddenly?"
Only last month, the French ambassador to Austria had reported that Kaunitz had successfully secured Leopold II's support to reinforce Silesia.
The intelligence officer glanced at the Navy Minister before replying cautiously:
"Your Highness, it seems that Walter Baron, Thugut, and their allies orchestrated a conspiracy against Kaunitz.
Additionally, there are signs of British involvement."
Joseph crushed the report into a ball, scowling. Britain's covert operatives were frighteningly efficient, far quicker than he had anticipated.
He had expected Austria and Prussia to remain locked in conflict until mid-next year.
The end of hostilities in Germany meant Britain could now focus on uniting Austria and Prussia against France.
"Prepare the carriage. We're returning to Paris," Joseph ordered Eymond.
On the Road
As the carriage rumbled along the bumpy road, Joseph pieced together his thoughts.
Both Prussia and Austria had just emerged from war, leaving their national reserves depleted. Even with British backing, neither was in a position to confront France head-on.
However, the situation made one thing clear: Poland was now in grave danger.
Prussia would undoubtedly target Poland to replenish its resources, aligning with Russia to enact a Second Partition—an event historically slated for the following year but now seemingly accelerated.
Joseph's fingers drummed rhythmically against the armrest. The winds of geopolitical change were blowing faster than anticipated, and it was time to adjust his plans accordingly.
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