Chapter 599: Song of Poland, Part Four
In the subsequent agreement between Poland and the Paris Mining Development Company, the former committed to ensuring a sufficient workforce for the mines and purchasing twenty LJ52 Steam Engines, along with their associated maintenance and servicing.
According to Mr. Pelet, the geologist's assessment, less than 10% of the silver mine had been developed – though this was, in fact, Joseph's own estimate.
As more shafts were excavated, the demand for water pumps would rapidly increase, making pre-ordering essential.
The mining development company would, in turn, provide technical support for prospecting, dewatering, and mine safety.
The very next day after the agreement was signed, over 500 miners from the Krakow area flocked to Tarnowskie Góry, eager for work.
Generations of their families had depended on the silver mines for their livelihood, so the news of expanded production filled them with excitement and the hope of earning more wages.
These individuals were highly skilled in excavating mine shafts; even teenagers could deepen a shaft by four to five meters daily, to say nothing of adults.
And so, the entirety of Tarnowskie Góry buzzed with activity.
...
Stanisław II sat upright in his chair, allowing Mr. Verin, the French makeup artist, to freely work on his face.
Prince Poniatowski watched from the side, a worried frown on his face as he observed the thick layer of powder and the cherry-red lips Mr. Verin was applying. He could barely imagine what his uncle would look like when the artist was finished.
He turned his face away awkwardly, then continued his report: "Count Mawalofski just sent word back: new veins have been successfully uncovered in Tarnowskie Góry, and the lodes are very thick. He estimates this year's silver mine output will increase to 8.4 million złoty."
Stanisław II instantly gasped in cold air, turning to face the prince, which caused the makeup artist to draw a crooked line at the corner of his mouth.
It was no wonder he was so agitated; last year, Poland's total treasury income was only 20 million złoty.
A single mine alone was now projected to provide over a third of the national revenue!
8.4 million złoty was roughly equivalent to 13 million francs. This meant that the output of the Tarnowskie Góry silver mine had increased more than sixfold in just over a month!
Prince Poniatowski, as if the king hadn't been sufficiently astonished, continued, "Count Mawalofski also said that if the new veins in the southern mountains are successfully developed, next year's output could very well exceed 10 million złoty."
10 million złoty would translate to over 15 million francs.
The Paris Mining Development Company, holding a 40% stake, could claim over 6 million from that!
Joseph estimated that, limited by the era's rudimentary mining technology, the silver mine's full potential certainly couldn't be realized, but an annual output of 20 million francs should still be achievable.
Prince Poniatowski went on, "Your Majesty, thanks to the silver mine's profits, we can double the size of our army."
He didn't bother to keep it from the makeup artist, who was, after all, the personal attendant of the French Crown Prince.
Stanisław II nodded repeatedly. "You are the Hetman; I leave the matter of army expansion entirely to you."
The prince nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. Oh, and regarding army training, Father Sais has put forward a rather unique proposal."
"Please elaborate."
"He suggested that we could assist Austria in suppressing the rebellion in Slavonia. While this might incur some casualties, real combat experience would allow our soldiers to mature quickly. Furthermore, His Majesty Leopold II would likely provide us with supplies, which would help us save on military expenses."
Slavonia was a southern province of Austria, primarily inhabited by Serbians. Serbia, to the south, had long claimed this territory as their own—and indeed, Austria had seized it from them.
Aided and abetted by Belgrade, the rebellions in Slavonia had been almost continuous. Recently, with Prussia and Austria locked in a major conflict over Silesia, Austria had been too preoccupied to manage the region, leading the insurgency to escalate to the brink of uncontrollability.
The neighboring Hungarian nobility had no desire to provoke these fierce Serbian 'barbarians'; they preferred to expand towards Wallachia. As long as the Serbians didn't cross the Danube River, the Hungarians couldn't be bothered to intervene.
Consequently, Vienna constantly had to plead with the Hungarians to send troops to Slavonia, often promising significant incentives.
If Poland were suddenly willing to dispatch an expeditionary force to help suppress the rebellion, Leopold II would undoubtedly be overjoyed. Whether they truly defeated the Serbians was secondary; at the very least, it would show the Hungarian nobility that His Imperial Majesty had ways to deal with rebels even without their direct involvement.
Of course, Joseph was actually more concerned with how this would improve Austro-Polish relations. Perhaps once the Second Partition began, Poland would have one less enemy.
Stanisław II nodded again. "Then you and Kollataj should make a trip to Vienna."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Polish King's face was quickly made up in the most fashionable style of the day. Mr. Verin gazed at his handiwork with satisfaction, then began to arrange the wig.
Once he arrived in Petersburg, he would use this pre-arranged look to meet his 'former girlfriend,' Catherine the Great.
Stanisław II gazed at his reflection in the mirror and sighed. Finally, he addressed his nephew: "Once you and His Majesty Leopold II have settled the matter of suppressing the rebellion, you must return to Warsaw as quickly as possible. The vote in the Great Sejm at the end of the year is the most crucial matter."
He and Poland's patriotic nobles had been working for a long time, preparing to initiate the drafting of the first Polish Constitution by year-end.
This was already more than half a year later than the historically famous Constitution of May 3, and its content had also omitted articles that might provoke the nobility, such as 'abolishing serfdom' or 'abolishing noble privileges'.
Stanisław II then rose and walked towards the palace gates. He would board his carriage and depart for Petersburg, intending to win Poland more time through his own means.
...
November 2, 1791.
Lieutenant General Kościuszko led the Polish Royal Third Division, comprising over 13,000 soldiers, onto Slavonian soil.
This force, with half its ranks filled by new recruits, would engage the Serbian rebels there, with logistical support provided by Austria.
Three months later, General Judycki would arrive with the Lithuanian Legion to relieve them, and then another Polish army would come for "training."
Concurrently, the King of Poland, welcomed by Catherine the Great, entered the Winter Palace with a humble demeanor. Before all the Russian nobles, he delivered a speech that could only be described as fawning, nearly every sentence filled with nauseating praise for the Tsar.
In the concluding part of his speech, the King enthusiastically mentioned the sincere greetings of Polish nobles like Potocki, Branicki, and Kossakowski to His Imperial Majesty the Tsar, and their eternal loyalty to him.
These individuals were precisely the core members of the historically infamous Targowica Confederation, a Polish organization of traitors.
This time, however, they would have no opportunity to betray Poland, as Father Sais had already informed Stanisław II of "the plan of the Polish traitors, accidentally acquired by the French intelligence system."
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