Make France Great Again-Chapter 943 - 934: India’s Vice King

John Brown, upon receiving the fifty thousand US Dollar funding support from the French abolitionist "comrade," was overjoyed and hurriedly sent someone to contact the French "comrade."

The French "comrade" met John Brown at a farm in Kansas, and after a brief exchange of information, John Brown learned that the other party was a Republican from France. He was willing to support John Brown out of his love for republicanism.

The French "comrade" believed that the United States of America, with its republican ideals, should completely abolish slavery; only then could the United States truly be called a republic.

"What you said is truly wonderful!" John Brown exclaimed with excitement, shaking the hand of the French "comrade." "In the sacred territory of the United States of America, there should be no slavery!"

Subsequently, John Brown told the French "comrade" that his father was originally a resolute abolitionist and his home was a transit station for the "Underground Railroad."

Under his influence, he too became a staunch abolitionist.

In his fifty-seven years, John Brown had helped nearly a hundred Black individuals escape the control of their slave masters and pursue "freedom."

[PS: The Black slaves who obtained "freedom" found themselves facing discrimination from hundreds upon escaping the Slave State, along with the pressure of unemployment.

To survive, they could only choose to do the work low-level talent could do, while enduring the discrimination of white residents and the oppression of white police.

Such nerve-wracking days were actually no different from those they lived in the Slave State.

The only difference was that they obtained freedom in name.]

This proud expression appeared on John Brown’s face when he said this, clearly showing he highly approved of his actions in "liberating" slaves.

Moreover, John Brown was confident that one day in the future, he would completely end this wicked system of slavery.

The French "comrade" patiently listened to what John Brown said, shook hands with him again, and told him that he was willing to support John Brown’s actions to overthrow the United States slave system.

However, he himself was not as brave as John Brown, so he could only choose to donate money to express his support for John Brown.

John Brown, with a smile on his face, expressed that the help provided by the French "comrade" had far exceeded charging into battle.

Fifty thousand US Dollars were already enough for John Brown to expand the current number three to fourfold; in the economic crisis-stricken United States of America, the most abundant asset was those who dared to risk their lives.

After a chat between John Brown and the French "comrade," the French "comrade" left the farm under John Brown’s farewell.

When the French "comrade" got on the carriage, the "Republican" mask covering his true face was completely ripped off.

"I really don’t know what Paris is thinking!" The French "comrade" muttered softly in complaint.

He was actually not a Republican but an agent of the National Intelligence Bureau’s intelligence department on America.

The reason he chose to support John Brown was entirely due to instructions from Paris.

If it weren’t for the specific orders from Paris to contact and support those who actively opposed slavery, he would definitely not have contacted John Brown.

In his eyes, John Brown was just a very ordinary anti-slavery person.

Even if he declared an uprising, not many people would be willing to follow them.

After all, the world may be vast, but Paris is the largest!

...

Speaking of which, after the United States of America was crippled by its economic crisis, it also spread towards Central America and South America.

Perhaps because Central and South America were still at the initial stage of industrialization, the damage they suffered was trivial compared to the economic crisis on the United States mainland.

Nevertheless, the entirety of South America still contributed nearly a million unemployed people.

After the economic crisis turned turmoil throughout America, it crossed the ocean and ran towards the direction where Britain is located.

In early December, after the Kingdom of Britain received news of the economic crisis occurring in the United States of America, their bonds and stocks issued on the London Stock Exchange also began to plummet.

This caused the assets of many banks investing in the United States of America to begin shrinking sharply, with the most significant shrinkage seen by the Bank of England, Barings Bank, and the British Rothschild Bank.

These three banks invested the most when they initially invested in the United States of America.

Upon learning of the widespread bankruptcy of the banks in the United States, these three banks no longer expected the United States of America to recover soon.

Thus, they attempted to package their bonds into relatively easier-to-sell bonds (such as United States Treasury Bonds) and fool the retail investors in Britain and the German Region into purchasing them.

Although retail investors in Britain and the German Region bought some, they knew that the current bonds and stocks of the United States are unreliable things, so the amount they purchased wasn’t substantial.

The promissory notes and bonds related to the United States on these three banks’ account books were basically all wiped out.

Their losses in the United States of America amounted to ten million British Pounds (equivalent to three hundred and twenty million US Dollars), with the Bank of England and the British Rothschild Bank each losing two and a half million British Pounds and three and a half million British Pounds, and Barings Bank losing four million British Pounds.

These three banks in the United States could be said to have hit a wall.

Of course, these three banks are merely the ones with the highest investment losses; other banks within the Kingdom of Britain are also heavily affected.

Many factories, upon receiving news of bankruptcy from downstream factories in the United States, also went bankrupt due to their stockpile of industrial products unable to find suitable markets, burdened by the downstream factories.

Though Britain is not the origin country of the economic crisis, nearly over 1,700 factories face bankruptcy, forcing approximately 400,000 workers into unemployment.

Workers who haven’t lost their jobs also live in constant fear, worried that the next "graduation notice" might land on their heads.

Worse still, Britain is currently engaged in an extended war with India, consuming several hundred thousand British pounds in supplies every month.

If this continues, the Kingdom of Britain’s economy will worsen.

However, the only celebration-worthy news is that the East India Company, under the blow of the economic crisis, finally entered the stage of bankruptcy liquidation.

No one in either House believes the East India Company can rise again; even its major shareholders eagerly await the government to bail them out.

Benjamin Disraeli returned to the Lower House, reiterating the government’s stance on handling the East India Company.

The government plans to offer 3 million British pounds to wholly acquire the bankrupt East India Company.

As long as the Lower House approves with a majority vote, the East India Company will become history.

Eventually, the Lower House passed the proposal to dismantle the East India Company by an overwhelming majority.

As for how the 3 million British pounds should be distributed, it’s obvious that the elites get the meat while the major shareholders of the East India Company (specifically those without titles or unsatisfactory titles) get the broth.

The unfortunate retail investors, after being harvested by the East India Company, will have to pay for its erroneous policies, an epitome of bad luck.

At the moment the Lower House announced the dissolution of the East India Company, authoritative control over the entire Indian region naturally transferred to Queen Victoria.

However, since Queen Victoria cannot personally travel to India to govern, the current Prime Minister Palmerston "suggests" Queen Victoria appoint a competent individual from the Cabinet, granting him the rights of the Indian "Vice King."

The Vice King, representing Queen Victoria, holds the authority to command the entire Indian region’s government and army; he is the highest political and military leader in the Indian region, sharing an administrative rank equivalent to a Cabinet Minister.

Queen Victoria quickly adopted the suggestion and submitted it for review by both Houses, which also promptly approved.

Subsequently, people began discussing the candidate for the Vice King position.

Many generals residing in London attempted to use their connections to secure the position upon hearing the news.

After two days of discussion, the Cabinet decided to narrow down the candidate pool for Vice King to active-duty military personnel currently in India.

The majority of generals were excluded, leaving just a few candidates. Palmerston then eliminated options based on military merits, titles, and official positions, ultimately selecting the Duke of Cambridge, who was en route from Persia to India.

From official positions, titles, to military merits, the Duke of Cambridge perfectly fits the criteria for the Indian Vice King.

However, the Duke of Cambridge has a slight flaw regarding his age.

Despite being in his early forties, in the official circles of the Kingdom of Britain, this age is considered young and promising.

After all, it is rare for someone in their forties to serve as a regional Commander-in-Chief, even for a noble, promotion is difficult.

The hierarchy in military official positions is akin to a peg-in-hole paradigm.

Without intentions of retirement above, it’s hard to squeeze in below.

Of course, such a minor flaw does not affect the Duke of Cambridge’s assignment as Vice King of India.

...

Once the Vice King appointment is confirmed, Palmerston again orders Benjamin Disraeli to proceed to the Lower House and propose a motion.

The content of the proposal: the Cabinet hopes Britain will permit the Government of India to issue (effectively still issued by Britain, but nominally under India) Indian bonds.

The proposal, upon presentation, immediately sparked debate.

Opinions varied, with supporters arguing that the ongoing war would be better supported by Britain allowing India to issue bonds, aiding Britain’s army in securing military funding.

Opponents argued Benjamin Disraeli’s bond issuance under India aims to obscure financial operations, facilitating behind-the-scenes manipulation by British officials in India.

Ultimately, setting up Indian bonds under Britain was vetoed by a relative majority opposition.

Benjamin Disraeli didn’t get angry upon witnessing the delay; he understands the Lower House will eventually agree to his plan to issue Indian bonds.

Just like the previous dissolution of the East India Company.