Chapter 390: The Covert War Between Britain and France
Marquis Wellesley felt a blockage in his chest, as if he'd swallowed mud. He took a deep breath before nodding.
"Yes, we have encountered a slight challenge in the Far East, but the British East India Company has significantly reinforced its troops, and the natives of Mysore will soon be punished."
Archbishop Talleyrand made an exaggerated expression. "Ah, so you've come to inform me of the good news of the invincible British army. It seems we have nothing further to discuss regarding the Far East. Oh, my early congratulations to His Majesty the King of England on his glorious victory!"
Wellesley looked at Talleyrand's provocative demeanor and truly wished he could just throw out a 'we'll see' and sweep out of the room.
However, he immediately recalled the 1.7 million pounds sterling in special bonds that the British East India Company had just issued last week. This sum was specifically for resolving the Mysore issue—at the current exchange rate, that was an enormous sum of over 42 million livres.
This was merely the first batch of bonds, and after paying salaries for the increased number of soldiers, purchasing weapons and supplies, and aiding Indian allies, it was already nearly spent. At least another 800,000 pounds sterling would likely need to be issued next month.
It was important to note that, at the British East India Company's request, the British Royal Navy had dispatched 25 warships, fully loaded with over 5,000 marines, to South Asia to assist in resisting the Mysore army. These warships and soldiers, fighting tens of thousands of nautical miles away, were gargantuan money sinks.
If the British East India Company's war against Mysore did not go smoothly, this massive loss would cause the company's stock price to plummet. At the same time, as Anglo-Indian trade was affected by the war, the British East India Company's revenue would also suffer.
It was crucial to remember that the British East India Company was not merely a corporation; it was the British Empire's most vital "blood pump," contributing immense funds to Britain annually. Its profitability directly determined the British government's financial surplus.
If the British East India Company's stock collapsed, the financially devastated British public would immediately oust the Tory Party. Even King George III, a strong supporter of William Pitt Junior, would lose political prestige as a result.
Wellesley knew his mission was to secure the best possible war environment for the British East India Company in India, and he had to endure this wily cripple for now.
He pondered for a moment, then a smile appeared on his face. "Your Eminence, you know, defeating Mysore is merely a matter of investment. Fortunately, Britain can easily afford such a sum."
He leaned forward slightly, looking at Talleyrand. "However, the investment in Tunisia is a heavy financial burden for your nation.
"Oh, please correct me if my calculations are wrong, but your nation's finances should only be sufficient to sustain the North African situation until the end of this year. Furthermore, I hear you plan to invest heavily in iron foundries in Luxembourg, which will further squeeze military expenditures. Perhaps you won't even last until the end of the year."
Talleyrand replied dismissively, "It truly amazes me that you are also proficient in finance. Luckily, Tunisia is very close to France, so it won't cost much in the end.
"But how much have you invested in the Indian affair this time? 2 million pounds sterling?"
He laughed and waved a hand. "Of course, for the vastly wealthy British East India Company, that's nothing. It's just a mere half-year's 'domestic tax' anyway."
The so-called "domestic tax" referred to the revenue the British East India Company paid to the British government. This did not even include dividends for shareholders, showcasing just how astonishing the British East India Company's profit-making ability was.
Talleyrand met the gaze of the British Foreign Minister. "You see, the crux of the matter is that France can afford to lose North Africa. After all, we haven't invested much money in Tunisia, and few people have even bought land there.
"But can Britain, like us, gracefully wave goodbye to India?"
Wellesley stiffened instantly. 'The crafty cripple was right,' he thought. Britain could not afford it, which was why he had come to Paris to suffer this humiliation.
He struggled to maintain a smile, pretending to pick up his teacup and drink, avoiding Talleyrand's piercing stare. "So, neither of our nations needs to continue wasting funds on matters unrelated to ourselves, do we?"
This was his subtle way of indicating that Britain would cease supporting Algiers and Tripoli if France stopped sponsoring Mysore, allowing both to save money and focus on their own affairs.
Talleyrand nodded. "Your proposal is very beneficial. In that case, should Britain formally recognize our nation's interests in the Maghreb states?"
Marquis Wellesley truly wanted to rap that wily cripple with his cane. 'France only managed to grab Tunisia amidst the chaos, so how could he just lay claim to all the Maghreb states with a single sentence? That includes Morocco, which is our damned British Empire's sphere of influence!'
"That is completely unreasonable," he shook his head. "At most, we can acknowledge France's influence in Tunisia."
"Perhaps it would be beneficial for our nation to establish some diplomatic relations with Mysore."
"In that case, the Royal Navy will blockade the Strait of Gibraltar at any time!"
"I highly doubt your nation, while completely overwhelmed in India, will have the spare capacity to operate in the Mediterranean..."
"The depth of the British Empire's resources will surprise everyone when challenged."
"Very well, then let's exclude Morocco. However, our nation must gain trade rights in Carnatic, India."
"Your appetite is far too great, Your Eminence; it will be detrimental to your health. Listen to me: let Mysore withdraw its troops, and France gains Tunisia. This is beneficial for everyone."
Carnatic was a large state in southeastern India, dozens of times larger than Pondicherry, France's foothold in India. This would break Britain's monopoly on Indian trade, and the British would never agree to it.
Of course, Talleyrand was merely asking an exorbitant price. France's fleet was not yet sufficient to maintain trade with the Far East.
"Then return Dominica and Antigua to our nation..." Talleyrand referred to two small Caribbean islands that produced sugarcane.
"No, you've misunderstood. Mysore in exchange for Tunisia—that's my bottom line..."
...
After a sincere and in-depth exchange of opinions, the two old foxes concluded their talks in a very cordial atmosphere, without reaching any agreement.
In reality, this was typical of diplomatic negotiations. Both parties first sounded out the other's true intentions, then returned to their respective camps to employ various tactics, and then negotiated again. This continued until one side was unwilling to invest further...
Wellesley left Versailles with a grim expression. Inside his carriage, he immediately wrote a letter to Lord Tarmos, the British Special Envoy to the Maghreb states, urging him to pressure Algiers and Tripoli to exert pressure on Tunisia.
He then wrote to Cornwallis, the Governor-General of India, instructing him to concentrate all forces to achieve a major victory, thereby increasing his leverage against the French.
Meanwhile, in the Crown Prince's chambers, Archbishop Talleyrand also reported the content of the meeting to Joseph.
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