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Chapter 597: Song of Poland II

Despite possessing the vast Eastern European plains, abundant mineral resources, and convenient inland river transport, Poland had fallen into severe decline due to an utterly foolish political system.

Currently, Poland had almost no significant industry, and its financial pillar was grain exports. However, constrained by serfdom, grain yields were not particularly high.

As a result, Poland was quite poor, and its military budget was stretched thin.

Amidst the rising wave of nationalism, many Poles were eager to join the army, but the nation couldn't afford to support them.

France's finances were also strained, so it naturally wouldn't 'shower money' in aid like Britain.

Joseph's proposed solution for Poland was to fully exploit the Tarnowskie Góry silver mine.

In his memory, this was the world's largest silver mine in the 21st century, producing thousands of tons annually.

He had learned from Archbishop Brienne that the current output of this silver mine was less than 30,000 pounds, or about 14 metric tons, which, if fully minted, would be worth approximately 2 million Francs.

Therefore, Joseph concluded that the vast majority of this silver mine remained unexplored. If the extraction volume could be increased six or sevenfold, Poland's military expenses could be easily covered.

This time, he even had Father Sais bring several French geologists to Poland. Once the new mine began operations, France could invest and acquire shares, earning some extra profit along the way.

Upon hearing this, Prince Poniatowski shook his head helplessly. "You might not be fully aware of the situation in Krakow. We've already exploited all the accessible areas there."

"There are indeed many other places nearby where mineral veins have been found, but these deposits are deep, requiring underground tunnels for extraction. Krakow, however, has an abundance of groundwater. Tunnels would be flooded by it within three or four days of being excavated..."

This fell outside Father Sais's area of expertise, so he could only reply, "I will consult with Mr. Pelet about this."

Pelet was the geological expert who accompanied him to Poland.

The dinner quickly concluded. The next day, Stanisław II and his nephew took Father Sais to the military camp to observe Poland's most elite infantry division.

Inside the camp, thousands of soldiers, fully equipped with Prussian gear, stood in neat squares, ready for inspection.

An officer with a prominent nose and sharp features drew his saber and called out loudly, "Begin!"

The surrounding military music immediately struck up, and the soldiers began to demonstrate their swift and orderly transition from a square formation to an assault column, a maneuver that matched the standard of France's old army.

Prince Poniatowski pointed to the officer, introducing him to Father Sais: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince once recommended General Tadeusz Kościuszko to me — oh, at the time he was only a Lieutenant Colonel. So I decided to entrust an army unit to him."

"Evidently, His Royal Highness was correct. General Kościuszko quickly demonstrated his command talent and has now been promoted to Lieutenant General, serving as the overall commander of the Third Royal Infantry Division defending Volhynia."

Volhynia was a strategic stronghold in south-central Poland, where sixty percent of the Polish army was stationed. This meant Kościuszko was now practically the second most powerful figure in the Polish army.

This Polish national hero, who had never suffered a defeat, gained a position of great importance two years ahead of schedule, thanks to Joseph's intervention.

With these two extra years to integrate with the army, it was certain he would play an even more crucial role in resisting invasion.

Prince Poniatowski continued, "Of course, apart from the two Royal Divisions, the combat effectiveness of other units is still far inferior to the Russian army, not to mention the newly recruited soldiers."

"If only I had a few more years, I'm confident I could train the army to surpass the Russians."

Father Sais replied, "But I'm afraid you don't have that much time. We must find solutions elsewhere."

"This time, I've brought firearms technicians. They will help you improve both the production volume and quality of your weapons."

"Oh, and also, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince suggests you restore the Winged Hussars."

"Winged Hussars?" The Prince chuckled, shaking his head. "Their glory is merely a legend now. In modern combat, those wings serve no purpose other than for show."

"No, they are useful," Father Sais countered. "They are Poland's pride, a symbol of its spirit. You don't need to equip the Winged Hussars with heavy armor as before, but simply having those wings will boost the morale of all soldiers!"

"Well," the Prince hesitated, but out of respect for his French friend, he nodded. "Alright, I'll start by forming a cavalry battalion as a trial."

Father Sais reiterated Joseph's suggestions regarding military development to the Prince, concluding, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince also has a suggestion that could buy Poland more time, however..."

He looked at Stanisław II, who was standing nearby. "This would require His Majesty the King to make a certain sacrifice."

"I can sacrifice everything for Poland," the latter replied without hesitation.

He wasn't merely uttering a slogan; historically, he had even been willing to abdicate his throne to promote Polish unity. However, his abilities in governing were rather ordinary, ultimately leaving him to watch helplessly as his nation crumbled.

Father Sais first bowed respectfully to him, then continued, "His Royal Highness suggests that you frequently visit Petersburg to... rekindle your acquaintance with the Tsar. You should display as much subservience as possible, making her believe that Poland can be conquered without war."

Stanisław II had once been Catherine's lover. He had also ascended to the throne with Russia's support.

"How can this be?!" Prince Poniatowski immediately protested. "His Majesty represents Poland; he must govern the entire nation!"

"This is merely a suggestion," Father Sais replied, neither humble nor arrogant. "With all due respect, the nobles have always slandered His Majesty as a Russian puppet, and so... with all due respect, His Majesty's domestic support is not very high."

Stanisław II took a deep breath and nodded. "You are right, and I can indeed go to Russia. However, if the Polish people learn that their King is trying to curry favor with the Tsar, they will fall into despair, and morale will collapse..."

Father Sais also took a deep breath, looking at Prince Poniatowski. "That wouldn't be an issue, provided another hero emerges who can unite the people."

"What are you saying? That's absolutely out of the question!"

"It is indeed a good idea, and I believe it's worth trying."

The first sentence was spoken by the Prince, while the second was by the King of Poland.

...

Second floor of the Tuileries Palace.

Joseph read the report Father Sais had just sent, a slight frown creasing his brow.

'No wonder the Tarnowskie Góry silver mine's output was so low,' he mused. 'The Poles had already tried.'

He turned to the exploration conclusions attached to the report: "Serious water seepage still occurs in underground tunnels at depths of up to 80 meters. Although silver reserves are high, extraction is impossible."

'If it's just groundwater, then...'

Joseph suddenly thought of something and had Eman summon a geology expert from the University of Paris.

Two hours later, an elderly scholar in his fifties or sixties sat opposite Joseph, reviewing the exploration data. He shook his head and said, "Your Royal Highness, given the volume of water here, it's impossible to drain it with current equipment. While steam engines are rated to pump water from depths of 90 meters, that conclusion was derived in a laboratory environment."