Novels online

Chapter 1325: Economic Binding

Warsaw.

The Royal Castle.

In the recently renovated Knight's Hall, Bailly, the French Minister of Trade, nodded to Stanisław II with a frank expression. "Yes, Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has ordered all captured supplies to be left to you."

The King of Poland and his ministers immediately beamed with joy. "I truly don't know how to express my gratitude to His Highness. His generosity is God's compassion for all Poles."

"Praise His Royal Highness the Crown Prince; may God bless him."

"Poland will forever be France's most loyal friend!"

It was no wonder they were so agitated. Bailly was referring to the supplies seized earlier when the Franco-Polish allied forces swept through Austria. Due to difficult transport, most of these had been left in the Ore Mountains and Krakow.

These included over thirty thousand intact Percussion Cap Muskets, hundreds of cannons, and vast quantities of military supplies such as wagons, tents, and drums, with a total value potentially reaching three or four million francs.

Indeed, Joseph had only taken most of the captured mules and horses back to France. The other items, being different from standard French equipment, could not be used directly and were not easily sold, so he simply left them for Poland.

He was well aware that the Poles would undoubtedly exert all their efforts to reclaim the eastern territories occupied by Russia, and these weapons and equipment would be perfect for enhancing their combat effectiveness.

Currently, Russia had not yet abandoned its alliance with Britain, nor had it surrendered to France, so Joseph also needed to leverage the Polish army to weaken Russia's national power.

However, Poland alone was certainly no match for Russia, so he had also arranged other "gifts" for Alexander.

Naturally, Joseph would not make the historical mistake of Napoleon directly sending troops to confront Russia, ultimately allowing Britain, Prussia, and Austria to reap the benefits.

In fact, France had no need to conquer Russia. Even if one could truly force Russia into submission, they would still slowly recover over decades due to their immense size. And at such a great distance, it would be impossible for France to maintain a long-term military presence in Russia.

Therefore, the best scenario was for Russia to maintain good relations with France, assist France in preserving order on the European continent, yet not become so powerful as to harbor ambitions of dominating Europe.

Thus, using other nations to teach Russia a lesson was the best option.

As for Alexander, the ambitious and decidedly unfriendly Tsar, he absolutely had to be replaced.

"France and Poland are eternal friends," Bailly echoed, then continued, "Besides these supplies, His Highness has prepared something else very important for you."

He gestured westward. "Four thousand three hundred Russian prisoners of war are currently en route to Warsaw, including five generals and over a hundred officers.

"You can use these men to exchange for the Polish soldiers captured by the Russians."

Since the Russians were unwilling to pay ransom for their captives, Joseph could only send them home "indirectly" through Poland.

The usually taciturn Kościuszko struggled to rise from his wheelchair and gave Bailly a solemn bow, placing his hand on his chest. "Please convey my sincerest gratitude, and that of all Polish soldiers, to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

He knew that once Poland began reclaiming lost territories, the Polish soldiers captured by Russia would likely face a tragic end. While devising his battle plans, he would silently pray and ask the captured soldiers for their forgiveness.

Now that he could exchange them with the help of the French Crown Prince, he could finally unleash his revenge upon the Russians!

A court official approached and bowed to Stanisław II. The King enthusiastically took Bailly's arm and guided him towards the banquet hall. "It's a good thing Warsaw can once again receive supplies from Gdańsk. If this were two months ago, we wouldn't even be able to find enough food here to entertain you."

In the long, narrow corridor, Count Potocki, the Polish Finance Minister, couldn't hold back and came forward, offering Bailly a conciliatory smile. "Your Excellency, the Special Envoy, as you know, our country's financial situation is not optimistic, yet our war against the invaders is far from over.

"Could you perhaps consider providing our country with some more loans...?"

He gritted his teeth and quoted a figure that even he found hard to swallow: "Preferably, twelve million francs."

Kołłątaj, surprised that he would bring up the loan issue here, hastily added, "Please rest assured, we can use the revenue from the Tarnowskie Góry silver mine, as well as our Salt Tax revenue, as collateral."

Bailly looked at the two men, shook his head, and then addressed Stanisław II. "Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's intention is not to provide a loan to your country."

The King of Poland and his ministers all felt a sinking in their hearts. Some secretly blamed Count Potocki for asking for too much, while others began to ponder how to persuade the French Special Envoy.

However, they all understood France's decision; after all, France had just emerged from a major war and undoubtedly needed money everywhere.

Count Potocki, steeling himself, said, "Well, what about seven and a half million francs? We're open to a higher Interest rate."

The Polish Ministry of Finance had calculated repeatedly that if they wanted to fully reclaim the territories west of the Dnieper River and also ensure Poland's finances didn't collapse, twelve million francs was the absolute minimum. Seven and a half million francs would only cover military expenditures.

Bailly paused and smiled. "His Highness is aware of your country's current difficulties, which is why he does not wish to see you crippled by loan Interest.

"His Highness proposes that a 'long-term supply and price agreement' model be used instead of a loan."

"'Long-term... price agreement?'" Count Potocki and the others exchanged glances, clearly unfamiliar with the term.

"Please forgive my ignorance, what is that?"

Bailly explained, "Simply put, it involves the French Industrial Development Fund and the Ministry of Industry acting on behalf of France to sign an agreement with your country's parliament to purchase export goods for the next few years, or even decades.

"For instance, copper, zinc, lead, sulfur, Wheat, oak, and so on.

"Regarding prices, a base price will be set with reference to market rates, serving as a fixed price for long-term transactions. Of course, if market fluctuations are significant, a floating price can also be negotiated.

"This way, your country's resources can be centrally transported and sold, while our country can pay a portion of the payment in advance and secure a stable supply.

"The Ministry of Industry has estimated that the total annual procurement of these main resources could reach six million francs. If our country provides assistance for increased production, this could rise to nearly eight million francs within a year."

Such long-term agreements are a common model in later eras, capable of mitigating the impact of commodity price fluctuations on industrial production.

However, Joseph's primary aim this time was to monopolize Poland's material exports. Of course, for Poland, it represented an even more stable source of funding.

It's worth noting that Poland's production of copper, zinc, grain, and timber ranks among the highest in all of Europe.