Chapter 103
18. Reversal of alliance – 5
Oxford Gazette: The regime has changed, but Britain’s economy is still dark… The citizens of London are saying ‘Whigs and Tories are all the same!’
Weekly News: Lawrence Photogiver (a senior member of the Whig Party) said ‘The Whig Party is making every effort to normalize the economy. It is the Tories and corrupt capitalists who are interfering with this.’
Daily Current: The promise to stop the war with France is the only thing that the government has kept… But in the war with the United States, the kingdom spent nearly 100 million pounds…
Gently Magazine: The shame of the red coats! The horrors of the worst defeat in British history, the Battle of New Orleans.
News Letter: London capitalists are reluctant to invest, saying ‘There is a better investment destination under the Dover Strait, is there a reason to spend money here?’ The Finance Minister called it a ‘treachery act’.
The year 1817, which seemed like it would never end, had only 70 days left. The atmosphere of London was literally on the verge of exploding.
Even by looking at the London media’s tone, which was unusually harsh, one could see the turbulent current flowing around Westminster.
The members of the Whig Party and the Tory Party were only blaming each other, the cabinet was confused, the royal family was consistent with its ignorance, and capitalists were investing money in foreign countries in search of their own way to live.
Complaints from all walks of life had become so widespread that it was common for university professors, prominent artists, and high-ranking aristocrats to criticize Charles Grey’s cabinet.
If the economy and politics were spinning in vain, they had to make up for it in other areas. By looking at other governments in history, one could see that they had made up for their mistakes through external expeditions or colonization. However, the current cabinet could not do so.
Britain’s grand strategy, led by Charles Grey, the leader of the Whig Party who took office as Prime Minister, was to subdue the United States as quickly as possible while signing an armistice with France.
The ambition and strategy to overpower the United States, which was difficult to deal with due to the war with France and because of the physical distance, and therefore to reduce any anti-British forces beyond the ocean, seemed very reasonable at the time, so the Tory Party also supported it.
The British army and naval forces were enough to crush the United States. The British were not dispersing their power any more to fight France, so they could concentrate it more and crush the United States at once.
But things happened differently. In particular, the British army overpowering the United States was hard to see. The war was prolonged like that.
The Whig Party and Charles Grey used the media to reverse their worsening public opinion. Focusing on the expansion of the East India Company, they deliberately praised only South Asia’s achievements, saying ‘We finally put India in our hands, like we had hoped for!’
It worked at first, but the poor results in the American-British War were things that could not be covered no matter how they tried. Citizens of London had already expressed strong distrust and dissatisfaction with the cabinet. There was no time to rest for the Whig Party members.
London Post: The beginning of a new regime change? Prime Minister Charles Grey had a meeting with His Highness the Prince Regent (George IV)
At this rate, their crushing defeat in the general election in nine months was almost certain. People were expecting Charles Grey to resign as Prime Minister as a form of penitence, and to make a political move to save even a little bit of the number of seats the Whigs could win in the elections.
However, just four days later in Westminster, Charles Grey’s remarks were far beyond people’s expectations.
“…omitted… It has been clearly proved that French spies in London and Manchester were systematically infringing on the Kingdom’s national interests and the property rights of our good citizens. The Cabinet strongly condemns France’s ignorant and shameless behavior and wants the French government’s apology and legitimate compensation for the damage. If no agreement on this can be found, then the Madrid Treaty signed in 1813 will be greatly threatened. The Kingdom is concerned that something unpleasant may happen.”
Charles Grey, the leader of the Whig Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, was strongly criticizing France at the opening ceremony in Westminster.
His expression, as he was listing cases of infringement of patent laws systematically committed by France, was that of a patriotic politician who wanted to protect the interests of his country.
The use of strong and passionate words such as ‘ignorant’ and ‘shameless’ without diplomatic rhetoric was also revealing how serious and unpleasant the British cabinet was feeling about this issue.
“France definitely has to explain this situation. The Kingdom can put its guns back on the battlefield at any time to defend its honor. It is important to keep in mind that permanent peace in Europe can only be maintained when tacit customs and international laws are correctly followed.”
Prime Minister Charles Grey’s series of hard-line remarks spread rapidly across British society beyond London in breaking news. This one speech succeeded in turning the public criticism of the British cabinet and the Prime Minister toward France at once.
“Punish the frogs who plunder British property!”
“Lions never tolerate insults!”
“Let’s hang Napoleon’s neck on the Thames bridge!!”
The rivalry they had toward France, the inherent resentment after losing the war, and their anger as they learned that their properties had been stolen were added together. The citizens of London were extremely excited about the cowardly and shrewd theft that France had been doing in the dark and cried out for war.
Meanwhile, Britain’s Foreign Ministry, as if it had been waiting for this, ended the war with the United States, reducing the front line and further igniting public opinion for war.
The atmosphere in Western Europe, which had been calm until a month ago, changed in an instant. As if the European peace had been set until 1817, tension began to rise over the Dover Strait.
===
Over London was raining a mixture of water and smoke. The cabinet and congress, which had been bribed by capitalists, were silent about the dangers of these black rains, but all citizens around the industrial complex knew it after having felt it with their own skin for many years.
Devil’s secretions that were causing hair to fall out, the skin to rot, and pain in the eyes and respiratory tract, were contained in the black rain falling over London.
“It’s a terrible weather today, too. How can this neighborhood be so consistent…”
Lisarmont Victor Colin closed the curtains while clicking his tongue. This was the only place where the repeating weather was making people feel depressed just by looking at it.
Lisarmont Victor Colin was the actual ruler of one of the leading financial conglomerates in London’s stock market, the L.V.C. group.
His true identity was a disguised entrepreneur who was entrusted with slush funds from France, or Napoleon Bonaparte, and was tasked with legally sucking up the gold from the enemy.
The relationship between Napoleon and the L.V.C. group was thoroughly veiled and there were no direct transactions such as remittance of capital.
However, the L.V.C. group was steadily sending support beyond the Dover Strait, by doing things such as purchasing bonds or guarantee checks from the French Empire or investing in factory sites.
Since France’s economy was cruising smoothly, bonds and checks purchased by the L.V.C. group steadily generated profits.
Thanks to this, while helping his country, the L.V.C. group was being praised by stockbrokers, who did not have even the slightest suspicion. However, the volume of goods had been gradually decreasing due to the recent escalation of the war atmosphere between Britain and France.
“Sigh… Come to think of it, it’s already been five years since I came here.”
Just a year after starting a corporation in London’s financial autonomous district, the L.V.C. group established its own capital without external inflows, and another year later, it gained the power and influence to float throughout London’s financial market.
At this time, Colin thought about betraying the French Empire and Napoleon Bonaparte and taking his own route in earnest. His family held hostage in Paris was a problem, but with wealth and fame, he could solve the situation at any time.
After all, money could be used to buy imperial officials and the officers who were watching his family. If he was worried about being assassinated by a vengeful French spy, he could pay a large donation to the British royal family and ask for protection.
‘Until a few years ago, I was seriously considering this option. Although I have now abandoned it.’
The atmosphere in London was very gloomy, just like its weather. The dark atmosphere of the city center, the cold-looking street scenery, and the colors of factories were all close to gray.
It was a scene that could illustrate London’s economy, which had been suffering from a slump since the catastrophe of the London stock market in 1813.
The results of the oversea expedition and the failure of economic policies had led to a regime change in which the ruling and opposition parties switched places, but the splendor and affluence of the past did not return. Nevertheless, the appearance of London citizens still being played by the media and politicians was not pathetic, but pitiful.
Despite the black rain, Colin did not lose his smile, looking down at the citizens gathering in front of St. James’ Palace (the residence of the British royal family) and crying for war.
Whig party figures dragged France in to cover up their political failures. That was why it was only revealed now that France was stealing patents and secrets from British state-owned companies and private businesses even though they had known it earlier.
Citizens who would originally go on strike and sit-in to get the wages to be raised, the treatment of workers to be improved, and the war taxes to be abolished, were now protesting, saying ‘Let’s beat France!’
Did they not even remember how they were trembling in the war until just a few months ago? How foolish.
Colin was convinced that setting up an outside enemy would remain the best way to reverse public opinion, and at the same time it was an example of the limitations of the dull masses who could only see what was right in front of them.
Huge overseas colonies, a land that was safe from invasion of foreign enemies, the development of private property rights, the emergence of the mechanical revolution, and advanced political and economic systems.
These were the reasons why such a small island country continued to grow rapidly and became Europe’s richest country with no comparison possible.
But that was not the case anymore. Its explosive economic growth had slowed for a long time, and France, which was considered far below that, was catching up with Britain at a frightening pace.
There were many differences between the French economic laws, tax laws, and tariffs and the British ones, and the French government itself did not give preferential treatment to capitalists.
But the fact that it continued to grow rapidly had offset all of its shortcomings. In other words, France had become an attractive market that could replace Britain, whose growth had slowed.
London funds were flowing to Paris. That was probably why the British cabinet was nervous about France’s success.
London Post: It turns out that the cause of the economic recession that came to the United Kingdom includes serious patent infringement systematically committed by France… Potential damage is close to £430 million…
The Cabinet, including the Tory Party, cleverly handed over the responsibility for the economic recession to France.
It was said that the French products produced by using unauthorized patents or by extorting them caused great damage to Britain’s foreign trade balance… But in Colin’s eyes, it was just an illusion.
However, he played the role of agitating the British to make them go crazier and run wild. Breaking the armistice between Britain and France and starting a new war seemed to be inevitable.
These were the reasons why Colin remained as a mole hidden in London’s financial district without betraying his country and Napoleon in the end.
France had been advancing by reorganizing its national system at a frightening pace while stopping all wars and resting. Under the huge central leadership of Napoleon Bonaparte, it was showing infinite possibilities and potential to Europe.
On the other hand, Britain had not shown any impressive results in external expeditions and continued to leak behind due to the continuous war. Westminster had been transformed into a place where the state leaders were passing the responsibility to each other.
No one paid attention to constructive policy discussions or urgent economic issues. The public dancing like clowns while being swayed by political talks and its agitation was a bonus.
‘This is an era of upheaval in which the world is changing day by day. In order to maintain what I hold now, I will have to entrust myself to the victor who will take over this era.’
The innate sense of Lisarmont Victor Colin was his ability to grasp the nature of a product and to predict its rise or fall. And it could also be applied to dynamics and national power, growth potential, etc. between countries.
The most decisive difference between France and Britain, judged by Colin, was the competence of the leaders governing the countries.
On one side was the current French cabinet led by Napoleon Bonaparte, and on the other was the British cabinet, whose members were only playing dirty political tricks on each other.
The picture of the latter beating the former could not be drawn in his head. And there was another thing.
‘The French Army losing to those ignorant and stupid British? That’s impossible.’
Colin had been in London for a long time and witnessed the ugliness of British politics closer than anyone else in France. All fantasies that he had about the United Kingdom were destroyed.
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Thanks to this, Colin was able to give up his thoughts on betrayal and perform his duties by following Napoleon’s instructions without saying a word.
“I’ll trust my country on this. And I’m betting my fate on you, its leader.”
Mumbling like that, Colin prepared a letter. It depicted how the current Westminster Parliament intended to aim for France and with what plans. He had a lot of worries before making a choice, but once he made it, he never looked back.
Colin, who sealed the letter’s top with sealing wax, would soon find what he had to do on the wheel of blood that had begun to return. For the victory of France and Napoleon.