Chapter 313: Lyon's Last Chance
Once the French forces defeated the Brabant rebels, Prussia would certainly be unwilling to accept Austria gaining power in the Southern Netherlands, and would therefore undoubtedly dispatch some troops to reinforce the Southern Netherlands.
Joseph had even prepared to create the impression there that the French forces were running out of steam, leading the Prussians to believe they could make another push.
As Prussian troops were redeployed to the Southern Netherlands, their forces in Silesia would inevitably decrease, and the pressure on the Austrian army there would likewise ease.
Joseph II, sensing the strategic support that the Southern Netherlands conflict provided for Silesia, would undoubtedly encourage the French army to continue tying down the Prussians there.
At this point, the French military presence in the Southern Netherlands would effectively have Austria's tacit approval.
And while the French and Prussians were fighting, the extent to which the battlefield expanded would no longer be within Austria's control.
Joseph II might even hope that the French army's actual control would expand further, ideally extending the battlefield to Upper Guelders—Prussian territory directly northeast of the Southern Netherlands.
Of course, Joseph would certainly not be foolish enough to stick his neck out and endlessly provoke Prussia.
In fact, he didn't even want to lay claim to the Flanders Region of the Southern Netherlands; as long as he could secure Wallonia, the French-speaking area in the southeastern Southern Netherlands, his strategic objective would be complete.
Most importantly, Wallonia was a significant coal-producing region in Europe, and acquiring it would provide strong support for France's Industrial Revolution.
Furthermore, Wallonia also bordered Luxembourg, which possessed abundant high-quality iron ore and had been under French rule 80 years prior. The flames of war in the Southern Netherlands could easily spread there.
By the time the Prussian and Austrian conflict concluded, Wallonia and Luxembourg would be occupied by French soldiers, and their bureaucratic systems would have been shaped by France. At that point, the future of these territories would be a matter for France and Austria to negotiate.
As for the Flanders Region in the northern Southern Netherlands, although it controlled the mouth of the Rhine River, for now, it was still a hot potato.
Firstly, most of the population in the Flanders Region spoke Dutch, making it very difficult to govern—Austria's struggles with the Brabant uprising served as a stark warning.
Secondly, the British placed great importance on the mouth of the Rhine River, as nearly half of their goods sold to continental Europe passed through it. Incidentally, the Port of Le Havre, at the mouth of the Seine River, was equally significant.
Therefore, the British would absolutely not accept France, a nation they had always viewed with hostility, controlling the trade lifeline between them and the vast German market.
For this reason, they would not hesitate to declare war on France. Historically, a core reason for Britain's full commitment to the Second Anti-French Coalition was France's occupation of the Southern Netherlands at the time and its disregard for prior agreements, with its determination to control the Rhine River shipping lanes.
Joseph's current strategic focus was on domestic industrial development to rapidly enhance national strength, and then use the dividends of industrial growth to fill the massive budget deficit.
Before that, he absolutely did not want to clash with the British, as they were currently the most powerful nation in Europe.
Therefore, it was most appropriate for the northern Southern Netherlands to remain in Austrian hands for the time being.
This was Joseph's strategic blueprint for France in Europe. As for making significant moves on the European continent, that would have to wait until France's economy had developed further.
War, in essence, was a test of a nation's accumulated strength. And economics was the most crucial aspect of that strength.
By the time the War Minister and the Chief of the General Staff finished reporting on the French military's preparations, it was already past 10 PM.
Joseph, based on what Berthier had just said, roughly calculated the timing. From Austria launching its attack on Silesia to the conflict's repercussions reaching the Southern Netherlands, it would likely take about another month.
He sorted through the matters at hand and instructed Eman, who was standing by the door, "Please make preparations. We'll leave for Lyon first thing tomorrow morning."
"Yes, Your Highness."
A month's time was enough to travel to Lyon and return.
Joseph knew that once the Seine-Rhine River trade agreement was finalized, a vast market would open up before France.
Yet, to this day, the crucial automated looms had not yet been fully implemented.
'This was a complete waste of historical opportunity!'
In fact, automated looms had already entered mass production, and a while ago, Mirabeau had successively transported thirty to forty units to Lyon.
However, the slow dissemination of information in this era, coupled with the conservative mindset of Lyon's factory owners who were hesitant to invest heavily and experiment, meant that the automated looms had failed to make even a ripple.
Joseph rubbed his aching shoulders and sighed inwardly, 'It seems nothing can get done without me...'
Seven days later.
Joseph gazed out the carriage window at the Rhône River docks, where textiles were piled high like mountains, and workers bustled like ants, moving the goods onto boats.
All around, more wagons continually arrived, bringing additional fabrics and clothing, the people on the wagons shouting loudly, summoning dockworkers to unload.
It was indeed a scene of a prosperous French textile hub.
Yet, Joseph knew very well that compared to Britain's advanced textile industry, this place still had a long way to go.
In fact, if not for his 'trick' on the British, revising the Eden Treaty and allowing Lyon to catch its breath, this place would already be riddled with bankrupt workshops and unemployed laborers, consumed by decay and ruin.
Of course, for now, it had merely caught its breath.
France lacked colonies for dumping goods and had no large cotton or wool producing regions; thus, it naturally couldn't compete with the British in terms of cost and sales.
Therefore, to carve out a share in the textile industry, which had the largest sales volume, France could only focus on the production process.
Although the British were still the undisputed 'number one' in this area, the application of automated looms and steam engines presented France with a rare opportunity.
Joseph's motorcade drove all the way to the Royal Square, and the surroundings immediately became lively.
The Municipal Commissioner and the Chamber of Commerce president led hundreds of officials and factory owners, standing respectfully on both sides of the road, to greet the Crown Prince.
Joseph had given these instructions in advance, telling them to wait in the square; otherwise, a reception starting from outside the city and then coming here would waste another half day.
After a series of customary bows and greetings, Joseph, accompanied by music and cheers, parted the crowd and went directly to the elevated platform in the center of the square.
As he raised his hand to signal, the surroundings quickly fell silent.
He surveyed the area, wasting no time, and declared loudly, "Now, this is Lyon's last chance!"
"According to the Eden Treaty, starting from the end of next year, tariffs on British textiles will be significantly reduced."
"Given Lyon's current costs, it will lose its entire domestic market by then!"
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