I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 432 Bastille 2.0th Edition

The Indian Peninsula has a suitable climate, with abundant sunshine and rainfall, so grain production is extremely high. In addition, there are abundant fruits and vegetables, so Indians basically have no habit of hoarding food.

However, Joseph knew that Tipu Sultan suffered twice in the Third Mysore War because of his failure to reserve food.

The British besieged Srirangapatna twice, and the city quickly ran out of ammunition and food.

The previous time, the rainy season came early and flooded the British army's logistical supplies, allowing Tipu Sultan to escape by chance. The next time, Tipu Sultan had to risk leading his army out of the city to try to find a breakthrough, but the British kept summoning vassal troops from the Indian princely states to block it, so he always returned empty-handed. In the end, he ran out of food and grass and had to ask for peace with the British. He ceded half of Mysore's territory, paid a war reparation of 300 million pounds, and handed over his two sons to the British as hostages, only then did he barely keep his position.

The East India Company used the 300 million pounds, or 7500 million livres, to rapidly expand its armaments in the Far East, thus laying the foundation for unifying the Indian peninsula. Eight years later, Tipu Sultan was killed by the British army, and the Mysore Kingdom was destroyed.

In fact, a serious plague had broken out among the British army at that time. If Tipu Sultan had persisted for a few more months, they would probably have to withdraw on their own.

So Joseph's first advice to Tipu Sultan was to store more food.

With India's grain production, if some of it was allocated, it would be enough to feed the entire city of Srirangapatna for two or three years.

Tipu Sultan was somewhat puzzled:
“Why are we hoarding food?”

Lafayette said solemnly:
"Although Mysore has achieved some victories at the moment, you must not underestimate the British because of this. They are very strong, and if they increase their manpower, you will likely face a tough battle to defend the city."

There was a flash of disdain in Tipu Sultan's eyes. Both he and his father had defeated the British - in the first two Mysore Wars.

However, he still took Lafayette's words seriously. After all, the latter brought him many advanced tactics, and the soldiers he trained were much stronger than those he trained himself.

Lafayette continued to describe the Dauphin's battle plan:

“After that, you just have to wait for the rainy season.

"The British have come across tens of thousands of miles, and their supplies are very difficult. The rainy season will destroy their logistics. This is when you can launch a counterattack. But try not to fight the British head-on. Your primary goal is always their logistical supplies."

Britain's war in faraway India was costing it a lot of money, and if its supplies continued to be destroyed, financial pressure would force them to choose a ceasefire.

Lafayette continued:

“In addition to food, you must also be careful not to fight with the British servants.

"As a last resort, we can directly give them benefits in exchange for their withdrawal or waiting. Especially for Hyderabad, even ceding some land to them is something we can consider."

Britain's core strategy in India was to use Indians to consume Indians and reap the benefits.

While suppressing Mysore, the most powerful kingdom on the Indian peninsula, they were also extremely wary of their followers, especially Hyderabad. After all, it had once formed an alliance with Mysore and was also quite powerful.

If Hyderabad becomes stronger by attacking Mysore, then all their efforts would be in vain, right?
Therefore, the British would definitely prevent Mysore from transferring benefits to Hyderabad, which would inevitably anger Hyderabad.

As for how things will develop in the future, Joseph could not be sure, but he would definitely try to seduce the British.

As long as France did not directly intervene in the war between Mysore and Britain - at this time, all French people in Mysore, including craftsmen, had been evacuated - it was complying with the Non-Interference Treaty, and the British could not find any fault with it.

However, Joseph was able to give Tipu Sultan some cheating advice, which was enough to make the British vomit blood.

……

Morocco.

Meknes.

Sultan Mehmed III looked at the French envoy and tried to appear more confident:
"My guards were only there to help Algiers train soldiers. Although there were some misunderstandings with the French army during the process, this was definitely not what I wanted."

Count Ségur said righteously:

"You are right, it is just a misunderstanding. However, there were indeed casualties among the King's soldiers, and the town of Tamiray was also damaged."

Mehmed III was extremely depressed. The number of his guardsmen killed was dozens of times more than that of the French. As for the town of Tamirai, his own people only looked at it from a few miles away. How could it cause damage? !
However, the situation is stronger than people. Not long ago, the British ambassador suddenly said that "he does not want to see friction between Morocco and Tunisia" and cut off all aid.

Although he was not afraid of the French, he was unwilling to anger this European power. In the final analysis, it was because he was bewitched by the British that he took the initiative to provoke the French.

"I am willing to provide compensation for these losses."

Count Ségur smiled:
"Or you can help me with something to offset the compensation."

In fact, the Moroccan Guards barely fought with the French army before being scared away by Moreau's tactics of confusing the French. France suffered minimal losses.

Mehmed III asked with some caution: "How can I help you?"

"It's very simple. Just use your caravan to help me transport some goods." Segur said, "From your place through the Ottoman Empire to the Indian Peninsula.

"You will be responsible for collecting the goods, and the buyer will pay the full amount. As for the goods you cannot obtain, you can buy them from Spain."

"That's it?" Mohammed III was a little surprised. Morocco and the Ottoman Empire had always had close trade relations, so this request would not cause any loss to him. He could even directly hand over the goods to the Ottoman merchants in Basra and have them transport them to India.

"Are you sure someone will pay?"

"Of course," said Segur, "otherwise you can stop the shipment immediately. As long as you help me transport the goods for two years, the misunderstanding between our two countries will be written off."

Mehmed III couldn't help but narrow his eyes.

He knew that the French were going to use their own channels in the Ottoman Empire to carry out smuggling, but if the so-called buyers really paid and the demand was large, he could even make money.

"Okay, I can give it a try."

France could have stopped supporting Mysore, but if the latter obtained supplies from the Ottoman Empire, Britain would not have been responsible for it.

Segur smiled at Mohammed III again and said in a deep voice:

"The most important point is that the trade you are conducting has nothing to do with France."

He was not afraid that Muhammad III would inform the British.

First, the British had just cheated Morocco, and Morocco was now very angry with them, so why would they report it? Second, the Moroccans had no evidence, and even if they told the British, France would not admit it - from the source of the goods to the smuggling channels, no French were involved.

If the Moroccans refused, then Segur would go to the Persians, get the goods from Russia through the Caspian Sea, and ship them to India through the Gulf of Oman. However, the Persians would probably ask for some benefits, and the cost performance would not be as good as that of Morocco. Fortunately, Muhammad III agreed directly.

After leaving Morocco, Count Segur immediately headed north to Spain. He would seek weapons, steel and other supplies from Charles IV. This would not only be profitable for Spain, but also a favor to the French, so I believe they would not refuse.

...June 1790, 1.

Paris.

A top-of-the-line light gray "jewel" carriage sped past the pedestrians and then suddenly stopped at the edge of the Bastille Square.

A servant hurriedly set up the steps for getting out of the car and then opened the door.

Mr. Walsh, the wool merchant, jumped off the car impatiently, complaining to his wife behind him:

"I told you to take the bus, but you insisted on driving..."

He looked at the huge crowds of people on the Place de la Bastille and raised his voice even louder:
"We've been delayed for so long that we can't even squeeze in."

Mrs. Walsh, who was wearing the most fashionable dress of the season, got out of the car and muttered:

"This is just a bank relocation, what's so interesting about it? I heard that the British Pavilion has been decorated, why don't we buy a preview ticket and go in to take a look..."

Mr. Walsh interrupted her:

"What do women know? His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will definitely announce some fiscal policies today. This will affect everyone's business. Of course, we have to come and see!"

A little boy in his teens saw Walsh's anxious look, and he quickly came over and said with a bright smile:

"Sir, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived. Do you want to see it more closely?"

"Of course. Do you have an idea?"

"Three livres."

Walsh stuffed three silver coins into his hands without hesitation: "Quick!"

The boy whistled in the direction of the Bastille, and immediately seven or eight children in the crowd squeezed the people around them, and soon a "passage" appeared between them.

Walsh hurriedly pulled his wife in and came to a position very close to the main entrance of the Bastille.

The little boy heard the music around him and waved to his friends:

"It has already started. There shouldn't be many people coming. Now, let's go to the Yihu store and help line up."

"Okay, Brother Gilles." The children squeezed out of the crowd and followed him skipping and jumping.

Walsh craned his neck to look, and saw that the gate of the prison, which used to be gloomy and terrifying, was covered with ribbons. Several rows of palace guards in red uniforms stood neatly in front of the steps, and behind them were a large number of reporters. A band was playing hard. Judging from their level, it was probably a palace band.

At the top of the prison's main entrance, a huge brass plaque was newly hung, which read "French Reserve Bank - Head Office".

With a burst of salutes, the music stopped instantly, and Joseph, wearing a brand new blue and white cavalry uniform and a tricorne hat, accompanied by several officials, quickly walked up to the platform just below the plaque.

The people around him immediately bowed and saluted, and Joseph smiled and raised his hand to signal:

“Thank you all for coming to the relocation ceremony of the Banque Reserve de France.”

He turned and pointed to the Bastille:

"I know, everyone didn't like it here before."

People immediately burst into laughter.

"But you will definitely like this place in the future." Joseph said loudly, "This will become the headquarters building of the French Reserve Bank.

“At the same time, the French Stock Exchange will occupy its western side.

"And its second floor is the handling hall of the French Royal Insurance Company."

He waved his arm and said: "This is no longer a prison, but a symbol of the wealth of Paris!"

The crowd cheered immediately! Yes, there is no Frenchman who does not hate and detest this prison.

Previously, when Joseph was selecting a site for the French Stock Exchange, he suddenly thought of this place and decided to turn it into the financial center of Paris.

The abolition of the infamous Bastille would definitely significantly increase the French people's favorability towards the royal family.

Moreover, this prison has long lost its meaning of existence. As a prison, there are not many prisoners here. Its core function is actually to stabilize the order of Paris. In the past, a large number of soldiers were stationed here. Once there was unrest in Paris, they could suppress it nearby. Now the public security of Paris has been handed over to the police.

So when Joseph proposed that the Crown Prince of France buy the fortress, Queen Marie agreed without much hesitation. The commander-in-chief of the Bastille, the Marquis de Launay, had previously received the care of the Dauphin for Necker's case, and this time he also cooperated very well with the relocation work.

More than half a month ago, the guards and prisoners of the Bastille moved to a new address in the southern suburbs of Paris, and the name was changed to "National First Prison".

On the platform, Joseph and the others stopped cheering, and then he continued:

"In addition to the relocation of the Reserve Bank of France and the Stock Exchange, there is another very important announcement today."

He gestured to Finance Minister Briand who was standing nearby.

The latter hurriedly took two steps forward, cleared his throat, and said loudly:

“His Majesty the King has decided that from now on, the banknotes issued by the French Reserve Bank will become the official currency of France and will be renamed francs!

“A franc note is equivalent to a livre silver coin, which is equivalent to 1 grams of gold.

"The national fiscal decree will guarantee the franc, and anyone holding franc banknotes can exchange them for gold of equal value at any time at the bank. Similarly, gold can also be exchanged for francs at the bank.

“No one in France may refuse to accept francs, otherwise he will be prosecuted. Livres, Ecu and other coins will be in circulation at the same time.”

The crowd was immediately excited. Although the French Reserve Bank's banknotes were already in circulation in many places, the official confirmation of their currency status at this time still shocked everyone.

After all, John Law had issued excessive paper money because of the Mississippi Incident decades ago, causing many French people to go bankrupt overnight. Since then, people have been very resistant to paper money.

Brian glanced at the Dauphin, raised his hand to signal for everyone to be quiet, and then continued:
"In order to maintain the stability of the franc, the royal family, the Ministry of Finance, the French Reserve Bank and the French Chamber of Commerce will jointly establish a 'Monetary Supervision Conference' to fully supervise the issuance of banknotes to ensure that there is no excessive issuance."

(End of this chapter)