Make France Great Again-Chapter 796 - 787 Personnel Adjustment
"Since this matter was raised during your tenure, it will be up to you, the Minister of War, to implement it!
Once the Colonial Affairs Department is established, you can go to Algeria to assume the position of Governor!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
After the discussion ended, Jerome Bonaparte, as per custom, invited the Minister of Montoban for a meal. During the meal, Jerome Bonaparte clinked glasses with Montoban multiple times, hinting that if the Minister of Montoban made some achievements during his term in Algeria, Jerome would promote him to Imperial Marshal or even confer upon him the title of Count.
The purpose of doing so was none other than to appease the Minister of Montoban, who bore the brunt of the hatred aimed at the Ministry of War for him.
After all, Montoban had already taken the fall for many things, and if Jerome Bonaparte did not give some substantial rewards, how many more would be willing to take the fall for him in the future?
"Your Majesty, rest assured! I will not disappoint your expectations!" The Minister of Montoban respectfully replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
"By the way, when you assume the Governorship of Algeria, do whatever it takes to attract more Europeans to come to Algeria!" Jerome Bonaparte instructed the Minister of Montoban again: "We French are in the minority in Algeria, so we must do everything possible to attract more people to Algeria!"
Currently, the number of Europeans in Algeria is approximately 135,000, making up about one-ninth of Algeria’s population, with the French population numbering just over 70,000.
Jerome Bonaparte went all out to send those political prisoners to Algeria to reach this scale; thus, it is necessary to intensify efforts to introduce more Europeans into the Algerian colony.
"Your Majesty, I understand! I will do as you request!" The Minister of Montoban nodded decisively, as he, like Jerome Bonaparte, did not fully trust those heretics.
"There’s nothing more to say!" Jerome Bonaparte raised his glass again to the Minister of Montoban.
The Minister of Montoban respectfully clinked glasses with Jerome Bonaparte.
After eating and drinking to their fill, the Minister of Montoban left the Tuileries Palace in a carriage, personally farewelled by Jerome Bonaparte. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
Watching the carriage of the Minister of Montoban gradually disappear into the night, Jerome Bonaparte turned around and returned to his study.
Just as Jerome Bonaparte was about to step onto the stairs, a carriage stopped on the open ground outside the Tuileries Palace, its hanging wind chimes jingling as the carriage halted.
When the sound of the wind chimes reached Jerome Bonaparte’s ears, he paused and ordered a servant to go outside and check the situation.
The servant ran out of the Tuileries Palace, and soon returned to stand before Jerome Bonaparte.
"Whose carriage is outside?" Jerome Bonaparte asked the servant.
"Your Majesty, it’s the carriage of the French ambassador to Sardinia outside. He says he’s here to apologize to Your Majesty!" the servant quickly responded to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Apologize!" Jerome Bonaparte was taken aback for a few seconds, then smiled again and said to the servant, "Let the Sardinian Ambassador in!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The servant immediately went to the open ground outside the Tuileries Palace and called the ambassador of the Sardinian Kingdom inside.
Upon entering the hall of the Tuileries Palace and seeing Jerome Bonaparte, the Sardinian Ambassador quickly ran to Jerome Bonaparte and said, "Your Majesty!"
"Mr. Ambassador, come with me!" Jerome Bonaparte said indifferently, then turned and stepped back onto the stairs.
The Sardinian Ambassador followed Jerome Bonaparte, also stepping onto the stairs.
Under the guidance of Jerome Bonaparte, the Sardinian Ambassador entered the study.
"Have a seat!" Jerome Bonaparte extended his hand, inviting the Sardinian Ambassador to sit on the sofa.
After a while, a servant entered the room and placed a candlestick at each of the four corners of the square table.
Under the light of the sixteen candles on the candlesticks, the sofa instantly brightened, allowing Jerome Bonaparte to see the slightly apprehensive face of the Sardinian Ambassador sitting opposite him.
"Mr. Ambassador, what brings you here so late at night?"
Although Jerome Bonaparte already knew the purpose of the Sardinian Ambassador’s visit, he still pretended not to know and inquired as if by a queen.
"Your Majesty, I have come this time to apologize to you!" the Sardinian Ambassador replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Apologize?" Jerome Bonaparte pretended to be puzzled and asked, "What are you apologizing for? Your country doesn’t seem to have offended me!"
The Sardinian Ambassador immediately recounted to Jerome Bonaparte the events that took place at the Louvre this afternoon.
"So it was that incident!" Jerome Bonaparte still maintained an indifferent expression and waved it off casually, "If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten! At that time, I indeed wanted to inquire about the Prime Minister Cavour’s condition!"
Speaking of this, Jerome Bonaparte paused for a moment, "However, Ambassador, since you are here! I happen to want you to ask Mr. Cavour some questions on my behalf!"
"Your Majesty, please go ahead! I will certainly convey it to Prime Minister Cavour!" the Sardinian Ambassador replied with a serious expression to Jerome Bonaparte.
"A few months ago, I asked Mr. Cavour whether he would be willing to join France in the mission to civilize (frankly, colonize) Africa! At that time, Mr. Cavour said he needed to ask my brother, Emmanuel, who is also your King, before he could reply to me!" Jerome Bonaparte said leisurely to the Sardinian Ambassador, "It’s been several months now, and Mr. Cavour has not yet given me a response!
So, could you ask on my behalf whether your Prime Minister still wishes to act together with France!"
"I will convey this on your behalf to our Prime Minister!" the Sardinian Ambassador nodded in response to Jerome Bonaparte.
"By the way, there is one more thing!" Jerome Bonaparte replied to the Sardinian Ambassador with a gift.
"Your Majesty, please tell me!" Sardinia assumed a posture of listening intently.
Jerome Bonaparte tactfully inquired whether there was an excess of labor population within the Sardinian Kingdom.
Faced with Jerome Bonaparte’s inquiry, the Sardinian Ambassador was stunned for a few seconds, then nodded.
Immediately, Jerome Bonaparte expressed that he wished to represent the French Colonial Department to sign a labor agreement with the Sardinian government.
The French Colonial Department would hire Sardinian laborers to work in Algiers, and the money each Sardinian laborer earns would be directly given to the Sardinian Kingdom government to be used as foreign exchange for the Sardinian government.
Although Jerome Bonaparte’s words were very elegant, anyone who listened carefully could understand that Jerome Bonaparte’s labor agreement was essentially a disguised form of human trade.
However, Sardinia could not refuse this condition because the Austrian Empire, located next to them, had begun to economically recover with the support of the French Empire.
The tax shackles originally imposed on Lombardy and Venice were also gradually loosened due to the rise of Prague, Vienna, and Buda-Pest, and the gradually liberated Lombardy and Venice were devouring Sardinia’s share in the light industry on the Apennine Peninsula at an unprecedented pace.
Even worse, some industries within the Sardinian Kingdom were gradually being controlled by capital groups within France, affected by Cavour’s open-door policy.
Of the few railways recently constructed, two-thirds were backed by French capital, and areas like waterworks, carriages, and banks were filled with French capital.
If Sardinia doesn’t consider developing new financial paths now, their limited industry will either be completely crushed by the Austrian Empire or controlled by French capital!
"Your Majesty, how many people do you need?" the Sardinian Ambassador asked Jerome Bonaparte.
"As many as possible, of course!" Jerome Bonaparte replied without hesitation to the Sardinian Ambassador.
"Your Majesty, I will try to respond to you as soon as possible, along with the previous issue!" the Sardinian Ambassador replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
"I look forward to your good news!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded and said.
Jerome Bonaparte and the Sardinian Ambassador chatted until 11 p.m., and finally, the Sardinian Ambassador left under the watchful eyes of Jerome Bonaparte.
...
In the following period, Jerome Bonaparte announced some personnel changes externally.
He first separated the Colonial Affairs Department from the Ministry of War to form an independent department.
[PS: This move caused the standing of the Minister of Montauban within the Ministry of War to plummet; for a minister, being unable to secure benefits for subordinates and the department is considered a failure!
During the tenure of the Minister of Montauban in the Ministry of War, the department successively lost its military command authority and colonial control authority... It is considered the most "pathetic" Minister of War in history.
Of course, some powers were not actually lost by Montauban, but it does not prevent subordinates from attributing the "credit" to Montauban.
If it weren’t for the Emperor’s support, Montauban could not have commanded the Ministry of War now.]
The newly formed department was renamed the Colonial Department, responsible for managing colonies except for Algiers.
The Colonial Department had the authority to appoint colonial officials, form colonial governments, and nominate colonial governors (currently, the Minister of the Colonial Department could only nominate governors for Senegal, Guyana, and Gabon).
The new Minister of the Colonial Department was appointed as General De Castner, the Governor of Algiers.
Minister of War Kuzen Montebon was transferred to the position of Governor of Algiers, and Imperial Marshal General Vayan was appointed as the new Minister of War.
The personnel announcement brought joy to the entire Ministry of War at Kuzen Montebon’s departure.
Meanwhile, Kuzen Montebon was in the Tuileries Palace receiving a Fourth-level Knight’s Medal conferred by Jerome Bonaparte.
