Make France Great Again-Chapter 733 - 724: Consolidating Power
After hearing Valerovsky’s account, Jerome Bonaparte’s emotions were somewhat mixed.
No matter which perspective it’s viewed from, the Liberians who have suffered the blows of imperialism can quickly adjust their state, using the unique geographical advantages of the Far East to ensure their own interests without engaging in large-scale conflict with the imperialist Great Powers.
Jerome Bonaparte speculated that the reason why the Satsuma Domain and Choushuu Domain were willing to purchase ships and guns from France might be based on two possibilities.
Firstly, Satsuma and Choushuu wanted to test whether France intended to colonize them like they did with Ryukyu by purchasing these military supplies. After all, a nation that intends to colonize would never arm the nation about to be colonized. (Historically, Japan has always feared being carved up by the imperialist Great Powers.
Only after the end of the Russo-Japanese War was Japan’s fear completely eliminated.)
Secondly, it’s that Satsuma and Choushuu... at least the Satsuma Domain itself hopes to show goodwill towards France by purchasing ships from France. After all, the Satsuma Domain had just been heavily thrashed by the expedition fleet of the French Empire, losing money and even relinquishing its small colony of Ryukyu.
Otherwise, the Satsuma Domain could easily have purchased fleets from Britain.
In contrast, the neighboring great empire has shown not the slightest change since the Opium War, still displaying a moribund demeanor.
With this thought, Jerome Bonaparte once again inquired whether Valerovsky had any news about the Qing Dynasty in the Far East.
Valerovsky informed Jerome Bonaparte that the entire Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not received any other useful information currently.
"Forget it!" Jerome Bonaparte sighed and said, "Let’s get back to the main topic! Deco, you just mentioned that you plan to submit a new shipbuilding plan to the Legislative Court, correct?"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Deco nodded and replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
"How much will this new shipbuilding plan cost?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Minister Dico again.
Minister Dico informed Jerome Bonaparte that he planned to spend five years building a global navy capable of both offense and defense, expecting to spend about 400 million francs.
"400 million francs!" Jerome Bonaparte gasped after hearing this, and then asked, "Do you know how much the Empire’s current revenue is?"
Deco instinctively shook his head; as Minister of the Navy, he was indeed not very familiar with the Empire’s finances.
"The entire Empire’s revenue last year was about 2.8 billion francs!" Jerome Bonaparte answered Deco: "And this is with increased taxation on high-added products (historically without luxury tax revenue, it was 1.8—2.2 billion francs). You are asking to take one-seventh of the annual fiscal revenue all at once!
Are you trying to make me use the taxes of all French citizens to support your navy and its subordinate industries?"
"Your Majesty, if the navy does not update quickly, the advantages we have accumulated in the early stages will soon be overtaken by our rivals!" Minister Dico argued to Jerome Bonaparte.
"What? Do you want to contend for naval supremacy with the neighboring British Empire?" Jerome Bonaparte glanced at Deco with eyes askance.
"Your Majesty, I don’t see anything wrong with that!" At this moment, Deco had a kind of fearless stance, "No country is born a master of the seas! The Kingdom of Britain also achieved its current position by defeating numerous opponents!
If Britain can do it, so can we."
Jerome Bonaparte remained silent for a moment, then responded to Minister Dico: "Deco, having dreams is something worth encouraging, but at times, we also need to be grounded in reality.
You now remind me of a person who, like you, attempted to build a navy the size of Britain’s, but his end was not good!
Military strength does not necessarily equate to strong national power.
The English have better coal and cheaper iron ore than we do, which means they can produce batches of steel more cheaply than we can.
With this steel and their island bases, they can also launch fleet after fleet in the quickest possible time.
Under such circumstances, what good is our early accumulated advantage!
Wouldn’t we still be overtaken by them in a reverse move!"
"Your Majesty, do we really have no chance?" Minister Dico asked Jerome Bonaparte with some reluctance.
"We do!" Jerome Bonaparte replied affirmatively to Deco, "As long as we persist, one day we will defeat Britain!
However, our generation might not see it!
Minister Dico, what you need to do now is not think about how to surpass the Kingdom of Britain, but to bring the gap between us and Britain as close as possible!
Only by being patient can we truly defeat them!
Therefore, your plan to spend 400 million francs on shipbuilding won’t pass through me!
I hope you can come up with a more realistic plan next time!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Minister Dico responded with a slightly dejected tone.
"By the way, the Maritime Transport Commission, as a semi-official organization, shouldn’t always be attached to the Navy!" Jerome Bonaparte continued to respond to Minister Dico.
The reason he didn’t initially have anything to say about the Navy Committee being under the Navy’s command was entirely because the Crimean War was about to begin.
Now that the Crimean War has ended, if the Navy continues to "advise" on maritime operations, it could easily lead to the formation of a massive interest group, which would be detrimental to their rule.
Therefore, the Maritime Transport Commission must be reclaimed by the government. Similarly, the Railway Commission will also be demilitarized once Jerome Bonaparte returns.
The General Staff only needs to maintain a liaison institution with the railway!
"Yes!" Minister Dico replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Alright! What you need to do in the near future is to push forward the ship modification plan and adjust the shipbuilding industry in the Toulon Region!" Jerome Bonaparte admonished Minister Dico: "However, don’t be too hasty in making adjustments!
Avoid causing large-scale layoffs, and you can convey my words verbatim to the merchants of Toulon City.
If anyone causes large-scale unemployment, I’ll take their head for it!"
For anything that threatens the stability of the Empire, Jerome Bonaparte would spare no effort to suppress it.
With thousands, even tens of thousands of workers versus the heads of a few capitalists, Jerome Bonaparte knew well which weighed heavier.
Subsequently, Jerome Bonaparte invited Dico for a supper. Sitting at the dining table, Minister Dico felt relieved but also burdened more heavily.
At four in the morning, Minister Dico left Jerome Bonaparte’s residence, walking alone on the desolate streets, feeling an unbidden solitude in his heart.
Meanwhile, Jerome Bonaparte sat once more on the sofa, conversing with Valerovsky, "I plan to depart for Paris tomorrow!"
A look of surprise crossed Valerovsky’s face. He inquired gently of Jerome Bonaparte whether leaving so soon might be too hasty, as he hadn’t even contacted the Paris end yet!
"I think not contacting them is just fine!" Jerome Bonaparte replied to Valerovsky, "We’ll quietly return to Paris and give them a surprise!"
I fear it will be more of a shock!
Valerovsky couldn’t help but mutter internally. Given that the Emperor was determined to return, he, as a subordinate, dared not voice any objections.
As for the welcome ceremony, they’ll have to await a suitable occasion to make it up to His Majesty the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, would you like to rest for a while first?" Valerovsky inquired of Jerome Bonaparte, "I’ll wake you when it’s time to leave!"
"Forget it, just look at the time now!" Jerome Bonaparte pointed to the grandfather clock as he responded to Valerovsky.
Valerovsky glanced at the time; it was now 4:30 a.m., only two and a half hours until the first train to Paris departs.
It also took nearly an hour to get to the Toulon Railway Station from their location, which meant Jerome Bonaparte would only have an hour and a half to sleep.
"I’ll just make do here!" Jerome Bonaparte shrugged, lay back on the sofa, closed his eyes to rest, and gradually drifted into sleep.
...
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"
With a series of blurred shouts sounding in his ears, Jerome Bonaparte slowly opened his sleepy eyes and asked, "Is it time?"
"Your Majesty, it’s now 5:30!" Valerovsky reminded.
Rubbing his eyes and yawning, Jerome Bonaparte said to Valerovsky, "I’ll go wake up Vilnius, and you prepare yourself as well!"
With those words, Jerome Bonaparte dragged his weary body from the living room to Vilnius’s bedroom. He then nudged Vilnius’s body, saying, "Time to get up!"
"I don’t want to get up!" Vilnius, being shaken awake by Jerome Bonaparte, said lazily.
"If you don’t get up, I’ll leave you behind!" Jerome Bonaparte gently pinched Vilnius’s cheek.
"Alright, alright! I’m getting up!" Vilnius reluctantly opened his eyes and, with Jerome Bonaparte’s assistance, got dressed.
Later, Vilnius and Jerome Bonaparte left the bedroom, performed a quick wash, and donned wigs and glasses (to prevent being recognized), and together with Valerovsky, took a carriage to the Toulon Railway Station.
