Napoleon in 1812
Chapter 103:

18. Reversalofalliance– 5

OxfordGazette: The regime haschanged, but Britain’s economy is still dark… The citizens of London aresaying ‘Whigs andTories are allthe same!’

Weekly News: Lawrence Photogiver(asenior member of theWhig Party) said ‘The WhigPartyismaking every effort to normalizethe economy. It is the Toriesand corruptcapitalistswho are interfering with this.’

Daily Current: The promise to stopthe war with France is theonly thing that the government has kept… But in thewar withthe United States, the kingdom spent nearly 100 million pounds…

GentlyMagazine: The shame of thered coats! Thehorrors of theworstdefeat in Britishhistory, the Battle of NewOrleans.

News Letter: London capitalists are reluctanttoinvest, saying‘There is abetter investmentdestinationunderthe Dover Strait, istherea reasontospendmoneyhere?’ The Finance Minister called it a ‘treacheryact’.

The year1817, whichseemed likeitwouldneverend, hadonly 70 days left. The atmosphere of London wasliterally on the verge of exploding.

Even by looking at the Londonmedia’s tone, which wasunusually harsh, onecouldsee the turbulentcurrent flowing around Westminster.

Themembers of theWhig Party andthe ToryPartywere only blamingeach other, the cabinetwas confused, theroyalfamily was consistent withits ignorance, and capitalists wereinvesting money in foreigncountries in search of their ownway to live.

Complaints from all walks of life had becomesowidespread that it was commonfor universityprofessors, prominent artists, and high-rankingaristocratstocriticize CharlesGrey’s cabinet.

Ifthe economyand politics werespinninginvain, they hadtomake up foritinotherareas. By lookingatothergovernmentsinhistory, one could see that theyhad madeupfor their mistakes throughexternalexpeditionsorcolonization. However, thecurrent cabinet could not do so.

Britain’sgrandstrategy, led by Charles Grey, the leaderofthe WhigPartywho tookoffice as Prime Minister, wastosubdue the UnitedStates as quicklyaspossiblewhilesigning an armisticewith France.

The ambition and strategy to overpowerthe United States, which was difficulttodeal with due to thewar withFrance and because of the physical distance, and therefore to reduceany anti-British forcesbeyond the ocean, seemed veryreasonable at thetime, sothe ToryPartyalso supportedit.

The Britisharmy andnavalforces wereenough to crush the UnitedStates. TheBritish were not dispersing their power any more to fight France, sothey could concentrate it more and crush theUnited States at once.

But thingshappeneddifferently. In particular, the British armyoverpowering the UnitedStates was hard to see. The war wasprolonged likethat.

TheWhig Party andCharles Grey usedthe media to reversetheirworsening public opinion. Focusing on theexpansion of the East India Company, theydeliberately praisedonly South Asia’sachievements, saying‘We finallyput India in our hands, like we hadhopedfor!’

It workedatfirst, but thepoor results in the American-British War were things that could not be covered no matter howthey tried. CitizensofLondon had already expressed strongdistrustand dissatisfaction with the cabinet. There wasnotime to rest for theWhig Party members.

London Post: Thebeginning of anew regime change? Prime Minister CharlesGrey hada meeting withHis Highness the PrinceRegent (GeorgeIV)

At thisrate, theircrushingdefeat in the general election in ninemonths was almostcertain. People wereexpecting CharlesGrey to resignasPrimeMinisterasa form of penitence, and to makea politicalmove to save evena littlebit of the numberofseatsthe Whigs could win in theelections.

However, justfour days later in Westminster, Charles Grey’s remarks werefar beyond people’s expectations.

“…omitted… Ithas beenclearly provedthat FrenchspiesinLondon and Manchester weresystematicallyinfringing on theKingdom’s national interests andthe property rights of ourgood citizens. The CabinetstronglycondemnsFrance’signorantand shameless behavior andwantsthe French government’sapology andlegitimate compensationfor the damage. If no agreement on this can be found, then theMadrid Treaty signedin1813 will be greatlythreatened. The Kingdomisconcerned thatsomething unpleasantmay happen.”

Charles Grey, theleader of the Whig Party and Prime Minister of theUnited Kingdom, was strongly criticizing Franceatthe openingceremonyinWestminster.

His expression, as he was listing cases of infringement of patentlaws systematically committedbyFrance, wasthat of a patriotic politician who wantedtoprotect theinterests of his country.

The useofstrong and passionate words suchas‘ignorant’ and‘shameless’ without diplomatic rhetoric was also revealing howserious andunpleasant theBritish cabinet was feeling about thisissue. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ NʘvᴇlFire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“France definitely has to explain thissituation. TheKingdom canput its guns backonthe battlefield at any time to defend itshonor. It is important to keep in mindthat permanentpeaceinEurope can only be maintainedwhen tacit customs and international lawsare correctly followed.”

PrimeMinisterCharles Grey’sseries of hard-line remarks spread rapidly across British societybeyond London in breaking news. This one speechsucceeded in turningthe public criticismofthe Britishcabinet andthe Prime Minister toward Franceatonce.

“Punish the frogs whoplunder British property!”

“Lionsnevertolerateinsults!”

“Let’s hangNapoleon’s neck on the Thamesbridge!!”

The rivalrythey hadtoward France, the inherent resentmentafterlosing the war, and their anger as they learnedthat their properties had been stolen were added together. ThecitizensofLondon wereextremely excitedaboutthe cowardly and shrewdtheftthat Francehad beendoinginthe darkand cried out forwar.

Meanwhile, Britain’s ForeignMinistry, as if it had been waitingfor this, ended the warwith theUnited States, reducingthe front lineand furtherignitingpublic opinionfor war.

Theatmosphere in Western Europe, whichhad beencalm until a month ago, changed in an instant. As if theEuropeanpeacehad beenset until 1817, tensionbegantorise over the Dover Strait.

===

OverLondon was raining amixture of water andsmoke. The cabinet and congress, whichhad beenbribed by capitalists, were silent about thedangers of these black rains, but all citizens aroundthe industrialcomplex knew it after having felt it withtheirown skinfor manyyears.

Devil’s secretions thatwere causing hairtofall out, the skin to rot, and paininthe eyesand respiratory tract, were contained in theblackrain falling overLondon.

“It’s aterribleweather today, too. Howcan thisneighborhood be so consistent…”

Lisarmont Victor Colin closedthe curtains while clicking his tongue. Thiswas the only place where the repeatingweather wasmaking people feel depressed just by lookingatit.

Lisarmont Victor Colin wasthe actual ruler of oneofthe leadingfinancial conglomeratesinLondon’sstockmarket, theL.V.C. group.

His true identity was a disguised entrepreneurwho was entrustedwith slush funds from France, orNapoleonBonaparte, andwas tasked with legallysucking up thegold from the enemy.

Therelationship betweenNapoleonand the L.V.C. groupwas thoroughlyveiled and there were no direct transactionssuch as remittance of capital.

However, the L.V.C. group wassteadilysending support beyond theDoverStrait, by doing thingssuch as purchasing bonds or guarantee checksfrom theFrench Empire or investinginfactory sites.

Since France’s economy was cruising smoothly, bondsand checks purchasedbythe L.V.C. group steadily generatedprofits.

Thankstothis, whilehelping hiscountry, the L.V.C. group wasbeingpraised by stockbrokers, who didnot haveeven theslightest suspicion. However, the volume of goods hadbeen graduallydecreasing duetothe recent escalation of the waratmosphere between Britainand France.

“Sigh… Come to think of it, it’s alreadybeen five years since I came here.”

Just ayear after starting a corporation in London’s financial autonomous district, theL.V.C. group established its owncapital without external inflows, and another yearlater, it gained thepowerand influence to float throughout London’s financial market.

Atthis time, Colin thought about betraying theFrench Empire andNapoleonBonaparte and takinghis own route in earnest. Hisfamily heldhostage in Paris wasa problem, butwith wealthand fame, he could solve the situationatany time.

Afterall, money could be used to buy imperial officialsand the officers whowere watching hisfamily. If he wasworried about being assassinatedbya vengeful Frenchspy, he could paya large donation to theBritish royal familyand ask forprotection.

‘Untila fewyearsago, I was seriouslyconsideringthis option. Although I have nowabandoned it.’

Theatmosphere in Londonwas verygloomy, just likeits weather. The dark atmosphereofthe citycenter, thecold-looking street scenery, andthe colors of factorieswere allclosetogray.

It wasa scene that could illustrateLondon’seconomy, whichhad beensuffering froma slump since thecatastropheofthe London stock marketin1813.

Theresults of theoversea expedition and thefailure of economic policies hadled to aregime change in which theruling and opposition partiesswitchedplaces, butthe splendor and affluenceofthe pastdid not return. Nevertheless, the appearanceofLondon citizens still being played by themediaand politicians was notpathetic, but pitiful.

Despitethe black rain, Colin did notlose hissmile, lookingdown at thecitizensgathering in front of St. James’ Palace (theresidence of the British royal family) and crying forwar.

Whigpartyfigures dragged France in to cover up their politicalfailures. Thatwas why it wasonly revealed nowthat Francewas stealing patentsand secretsfrom British state-owned companies andprivate businesses eventhough theyhad known it earlier.

Citizenswho would originallygoonstrike and sit-intoget the wages to be raised, the treatmentofworkers to be improved, and the wartaxestobeabolished, were now protesting, saying‘Let’s beatFrance!’

Didthey noteven remember howthey were trembling in thewar until justa fewmonths ago? How foolish.

Colinwas convinced that settingupanoutside enemy would remainthe bestway to reversepublic opinion, and at thesame time it was an example of the limitations of thedull masseswho could onlysee whatwas right in front of them.

Huge overseas colonies, a land thatwas safefrom invasion of foreign enemies, the development of private property rights, the emergence of themechanical revolution, andadvancedpolitical and economic systems.

These werethe reasonswhy sucha small islandcountry continuedtogrow rapidly and becameEurope’srichest country withnocomparison possible.

Butthat wasnot the case anymore. Its explosiveeconomicgrowth had slowedfor along time, andFrance, which wasconsidered farbelowthat, was catching up withBritain at a frightening pace.

Therewere many differences betweenthe French economic laws, taxlaws, and tariffsand the British ones, and theFrench governmentitself did notgive preferentialtreatment to capitalists.

But thefact that it continued to grow rapidlyhad offset allofits shortcomings. Inotherwords, France hadbecome an attractivemarket thatcouldreplace Britain, whose growthhad slowed.

Londonfundswere flowing to Paris. That was probably whythe Britishcabinet wasnervous about France’s success.

London Post: It turns outthat thecauseofthe economic recession that cametothe United Kingdom includes seriouspatent infringement systematically committedbyFrance… Potential damageiscloseto£430 million…

TheCabinet, including the Tory Party, cleverly handedover theresponsibilityfor the economic recessiontoFrance.

It was said thatthe French products produced by using unauthorizedpatents or by extortingthem causedgreatdamage to Britain’s foreign trade balance… But in Colin’seyes, itwas justanillusion.

However, heplayed the role of agitating theBritish to make themgocrazier andrun wild. Breaking the armisticebetween Britain and Franceand starting anew war seemedtobeinevitable.

These were the reasons why Colin remained as a molehidden in London’s financial district without betraying hiscountry andNapoleoninthe end.

Francehad beenadvancing by reorganizing itsnationalsystem at afrighteningpace while stopping allwars andresting. Underthe hugecentral leadership of Napoleon Bonaparte, itwas showinginfinitepossibilities andpotential to Europe.

On theotherhand, Britain hadnot shown any impressive resultsinexternalexpeditionsand continued to leak behind duetothe continuouswar. Westminster hadbeen transformed into aplacewherethe state leaderswere passing the responsibility to each other.

No one paid attention to constructivepolicy discussions or urgent economic issues. The publicdancing like clowns while being swayedbypolitical talks and itsagitation was a bonus.

‘This is an era of upheaval in which theworldischangingday by day. Inordertomaintainwhat I holdnow, I willhave to entrust myself to thevictor who will takeover this era.’

The innate sense of LisarmontVictor Colin was hisability to grasp thenature of aproduct andtopredict itsrise or fall. Anditcouldalso be applied to dynamics and national power, growth potential, etc. between countries.

Themost decisive difference betweenFrance and Britain, judgedbyColin, was thecompetence of theleaders governingthe countries.

On oneside wasthe currentFrench cabinetled by Napoleon Bonaparte, and on the other wasthe Britishcabinet, whosemembers were onlyplaying dirty politicaltricks on eachother.

The pictureofthe latter beating the formercouldnot be drawn in his head. Andtherewas anotherthing.

‘The FrenchArmy losingtothoseignorantand stupid British? That’simpossible.’

Colinhad beeninLondon for a longtime andwitnessed the ugliness of British politics closer than anyone else in France. All fantasies that he had about theUnited Kingdomwere destroyed.

Thanks to this, Colin was able to giveuphis thoughts on betrayal and perform his dutiesbyfollowing Napoleon’sinstructions withoutsaying aword.

“I’ll trust my country on this. And I’mbetting my fate on you, its leader.”

Mumblinglike that, Colin prepared a letter. Itdepictedhow the current Westminster Parliamentintendedtoaim for Franceand withwhat plans. Hehad alot of worriesbefore making a choice, but oncehemade it, heneverlooked back.

Colin, who sealedthe letter’s top with sealingwax, would soon findwhat he hadtodoonthe wheel of blood thathad begun to return. For the victory of France andNapoleon.

Sᴇarch the N0vᴇlFire(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.