Chapter 1063: Return to the Caribbean
Mukra looked back at the mountains to the west and couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
The towns of the Kabyle tribe, along with the elderly, women, and children, were all there. He truly did not want to abandon them and flee to Tunisia, but if he didn't leave, Kuloğlu would never let him go.
Ferhad followed his gaze and offered words of comfort. "Respected Malik, we will return. And it shouldn't be too long."
Mukra looked surprised. "Return? But Kuloğlu's army is right there..."
"Countless Roman compatriots will forever stand with the Kabyle people."
...
Paris.
Inside the Crown Prince's study at the Palace of Versailles.
Lavalette, the Director of the Security Bureau, pointed to the northern Caribbean on the map. "Your Highness, the situation in the Bahamas is the most critical among them.
"According to the intelligence we've gathered, at least twenty thousand people have been killed.
"Currently, the parliamentary forces and pro-parliament citizens have gathered on Abaco Island and Grand Bahama Island in the north, but they likely won't be able to hold out for long. As you know, Aaron is receiving funding from the Americans."
He then gestured toward the waters south of the Bahamas. "Recently, American activity in places like Jamaica, Dominica, and Saint Vincent has also increased significantly. Riots have broken out in many cities.
"From the current clues, it is highly likely that the British are also involved in this incident. Otherwise, with American strength alone, it would be difficult to influence the islands south of Saint-Domingue."
Joseph nodded. "The British want to regain control of Caribbean sugar. Or at the very least, they want to disrupt our supply."
Lavalette immediately laid several documents before him. "Your Highness, these are several response plans the Security Bureau has prepared regarding the situation in the Caribbean.
"They include directly dispatching an expeditionary force, cooperating with Spain, or mobilizing the Saint-Domingue National Guard to go to the islands to suppress the chaos."
Joseph flipped through the Security Bureau's action plans one by one. To their credit, the plans were detailed and highly feasible.
However, after careful consideration, Joseph shook his head. "We cannot invest too much power in the Caribbean region at this time.
"What the British want most is to engage us in a war of attrition across the ocean. Meanwhile, out of their own interests, the Americans will most likely side against us."
Lavalette hesitated for a moment before advising, "Your Highness, if we do not intervene, the Caribbean nations will fall into total chaos, causing severe losses to our country."
"It doesn't matter," Joseph said with a wave of his hand. "As long as Saint-Domingue remains stable and we prevent the British and Americans from gaining complete control over the other regions, it will be fine."
The core of the Saint-Domingue Parliament was the mixed-race population led by Ogé. They had previously worked for the French colonial government and possessed a certain level of administrative experience.
Coupled with Brissot's presence there and the participation of white plantation owners in management, the United States had never been able to effectively penetrate the area.
Of course, with Saint-Domingue's single-economy model relying on sugarcane cultivation, its financial situation was certainly not great. Currently, the Saint-Domingue Parliament was burdened with a deficit of hundreds of thousands of francs, and the National Guard had been reduced to two thousand men, leaving them with no capacity to look after other Caribbean nations.
Indeed, during the abolitionist movement, one could rely on passion and fervor to solve all problems, but after establishing a stable government, everything depended on gold coins.
Lavalette considered his words. "Your Highness, should we then station some troops in Saint-Domingue?"
"No need." Joseph had already devised a countermeasure. "Send a shipment of daily necessities to the Saint-Domingue Parliament, primarily grain."
To deal with such domestic turmoil, as long as the government remained unified, the key was to avoid famine; then, no major problems would arise.
"As for the Bahamas," he continued, "it's currently a bloodbath. Within a few years, there likely won't be much production. Therefore, the most precious resource there is the population.
"Have the Atlantic Fleet go to Abaco Island to transport all the refugees there to the Port of New Orleans. If there aren't enough ships, go and charter Spanish vessels from South America."
The Bahamas had a population of over three hundred thousand. Under Aaron's reign of terror, it was estimated that at least seventy to eighty thousand people would choose to flee.
This was the most urgently needed resource for Louisiana, which suffered from a labor shortage.
Furthermore, once France had its hands free and wanted to resolve the chaos in the Bahamas, these 'exiles' would be the most powerful aid—especially since the Bahamian Parliament was among them.
Joseph looked at the map of the Caribbean, frowning. "As for the other regions, let them remain in chaos for now.
"However, the Security Bureau must deploy personnel to conduct propaganda in various places. Let everyone know that it was France that brought them freedom, while Britain and the United States are inciting riots and forcing them back into their former lives of suffering."
In a sense, after these former slaves gained power and formed nations, experiencing such turmoil would help them learn necessary organizational and management skills, as well as reflect on the future.
Previously, Brissot had led them to independence, and to a large extent, they didn't yet understand what a 'nation' truly was.
In history, Caribbean nations also stabilized only after undergoing various rebellions and coups.
What Joseph needed to do now was to ensure these nations linked their disasters to Britain and the United States.
Once their political situations stabilized, they would naturally become staunch anti-British and anti-American warriors. Among the remaining major powers, the only one they could turn to would be France.
Just as Joseph finished discussing the details of the operation with Lavalette, he heard Eman lightly tapping on the door. "Your Highness, I apologize for the interruption, but in one hour, you must attend the opening ceremony of Paris Fashion Week."
The Director of the Security Bureau hurriedly gathered his documents and bowed his leave.
Joseph was changing into his formal attire with Eman's help when he saw Lavalette return, this time accompanied by Talleyrand.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs bowed to Joseph, his voice tinged with excitement. "Your Highness, news has arrived from Tehran. Half a month ago, Britain provided a second batch of aid to Persia.
"Approximately ten thousand flintlock muskets, some cannons, and a loan of at least two hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling.
"Fath-Ali Shah intends to construct a defensive line from Mashhad to Herat to block the Russians."
Thanks to Austria and Prussia beginning the construction of Chappe signal towers, the speed at which news from the Middle East reached France was several times faster than before. Essentially, as long as it was carried by horse to Eastern Europe, it could be transmitted back to Paris in just half a day.
A glint of a smile flashed in Joseph's eyes.
Although this batch of British aid was slightly smaller, when combined with the previous batch, it totaled over twenty-three thousand flintlock muskets, more than thirty cannons, and five hundred and fifty thousand pounds in funds.
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