Chapter 720 The most cost-effective business
"It seems that my trip was in vain." Lord Grenville spread his hands and continued, "Then, let's talk about a business next, shall we?"
Hamilton sat up straight: "I am listening carefully."
To be honest, the relationship between the United States and Britain is not very good at the moment. Especially after Booker wreaked havoc in Georgia, the American people's voice about "strengthening the alliance between the United States and France" became louder and louder.
The British actually came to ask the United States to provide logistical assistance to the British army in Saint-Domingue.
Hamilton had made up his mind to reject whatever tricks the British Foreign Secretary tried.
Grenville coughed lightly and said: "Parliament has made a decision to sell all the colonies in the Caribbean to the United States."
"This is not..." Hamilton suddenly said Excited, his eyes widened and he said, "What did you say? Caribbean colonies?"
Grenville smiled and nodded: "Yes, all sold to the United States. From Jamaica to the Little Andres Islands."
Hamilton's breathing suddenly became rapid.
The United States has always coveted the Caribbean Sea at its doorstep, but it has been carved up by Britain, France, Spain and other major powers, and the United States can only watch helplessly.
And the British suddenly said that they would give the colonies here to the United States!
You know, Britain occupies the largest number of Caribbean colonies, more than half.
Hamilton quickly calmed down and asked: "You mentioned business before, but what about the price? I have to remind you that black people are rioting throughout the Caribbean, and there is no benefit at all."
"The riots will eventually subside." Grenville said in a relaxed tone, "I believe that the United States will definitely have a solution for such an island so close."
Hamilton did not express his position, but he actually agreed with this sentence in his heart.
The cost of the United States sending troops to the Caribbean islands is much lower than that of the United Kingdom. At the same time, nearby management is also extremely convenient.
It’s just that if someone told him that the United States failed to deal with countries such as Cuba and the Bahamas until the 21st century, I don’t know how he would react.
“But I don’t think Parliament will invest too much in these ungovernable islands.”
Grenville pulled with him again, seeming to give up the struggle: "Okay, okay, you are really good at bargaining.
"I'll just tell the bottom line of Parliament.
"First of all, when a war breaks out in Europe, the United States must remain neutral, and at least cannot attack Britain and Britain's allies. "
Hamilton did not express his position, but just raised his hand to signal: "Please continue. "
"Secondly, the United States will recognize British assets in the Caribbean islands, if they have not been destroyed by the niggers. Of course, the British planters would pay taxes to the U.S. government.
"Finally, our country will receive the lowest price treatment for sugar products produced in the Caribbean. For a period of 30 years."
"That's all?"
"That's all."
Hamilton thought for a while, nodded and said: "I will submit a bill on this matter to Parliament."
" I hope you won’t keep me waiting too long.”
Hamilton thought of something again and asked: “What about the British Expeditionary Force in Saint-Domingue?”
Grenville sighed: "The Marquis of Cunningham will return to London in early November. So, you'd better be prepared before then."
There is no end in sight for the war in Saint-Domingue. signs.
After spending more than 600,000 pounds here, the British government finally decided to "cut the flesh" to stop the loss.
However, Grenville has obtained as much benefit as possible for Britain.
Especially the second point he said.
If Americans were really capable of quelling black riots, many British plantations could be saved. This is tantamount to using the US military to safeguard British interests.
Of course, this depends on whether the United States has the strength.
At noon the next day, the U.S. Federal Congress quickly made a decision to buy all the British colonies in the Caribbean for US$30,000. The two sides also signed the "Caribbean Agreement" 》. More than half a month later, the exhausted British Expeditionary Force evacuated Saint-Domingue by ship.
The Saint-Domingue Assembly immediately left Mount Duarte and returned to Port-au-Prince, where it announced with a high profile that it would set this day as the National Day of the Republic of Saint-Domingue.
When the news spread back to Europe, major countries such as Austria, Prussia, and Portugal successively recognized the regime of Saint-Domingue. At this time, sugar is as expensive as gold. Who doesn't want to buy some cheap sugar from Saint-Domingue?
But they don’t know yet that the island’s sugar sales license has already been held by the crown prince of a certain country.
……
Southwestern Russia.
Kharkov.
Kosciuszko reined in his horse and looked towards the vast plain behind him. The Russian Kursk Fortress, which was blackened by artillery fire, was almost invisible.
He made the sign of the cross on his chest, feeling a burst of pain in his heart, and murmured in a low voice: "Warriors, may God bless you."
In order to conquer this strong fortress , the brave soldiers of the Third Division of the Royal Army under his command launched a fierce attack for three days and two nights without fear of life and death, and even filled in a passage in front of the first barrier with corpses and sand by carrying bags of sand.
Finally, after paying the price of more than 2,000 casualties, they captured the Kursk Fortress.
In order not to slow down the march, more than a thousand wounded soldiers insisted on staying at the fortress and brought almost no food.
Dombrowski looked in the direction of the commander's gaze, came over and patted him on the back, sighed, and said: "The motherland will always be proud of them. And we must continue to move forward."
Kosciuszko nodded, lightly clamped his legs on the horse's belly, and followed the marching queue.
He gathered his thoughts, looked at the endless oak trees around him, turned to Dombrowski and whispered: "How much food do we have left?"
"There is still enough bread. 3 days." The latter also lowered his voice, "And the fodder and oats have been almost exhausted."
In a long-distance raid, the amount of supplies consumed by the war horses will far exceed that of the soldiers.
Kosciuszko frowned and said with difficulty for a long time: "As a last resort, we can only kill the horses."
Although the cavalry is very important. On the plains of Eastern Europe, infantry lacking cavalry cover could easily be "walked" to death by Cossacks.
However, soon his troops only had war horses to eat.
This place is still a month away from Crimea. Kosciuszko couldn't help but feel a sense of despair deep in his heart, but he suppressed it hard.
He tried his best not to let himself think that the soldiers had suffered huge casualties and traveled hundreds of miles, only to die silently in the dense forests of Kharkov.
More importantly, he and his army have not been able to influence the war situation in Poland.
He doesn’t want to die like this!
It must not die like this!
Three days later.
The lonely Polish army is still walking through the vast dense forest.
A soldier from the supply camp reluctantly stroked the skinny war horse and whispered sadly: "Old man, I hope you can enjoy peace in heaven. I'm sorry..."
The entire army did not have breakfast this morning. . According to the commander's order, more than a hundred horses here will be slaughtered for everyone's rations.
The officer in the baggage camp sighed and gave the order to start slaughtering.
The soldiers silently drew their sharp knives.
The war horse didn't struggle much, maybe because it was too hungry and had no strength, it just looked at them quietly.
Just when the knife was about to strike, a dense sound of trumpets suddenly came from the front of the marching team.
That was the warning signal that the scout cavalry had discovered the enemy.
Kosciuszko immediately ordered the formation, and he drove his horses to a relatively open highland. Looking south with a telescope, he saw a group of carriages and horses reflected in the sunlight near the east bank of the Sem River. The figure was so bright that it was dazzling.
And the costumes of the drivers seem to be Ottomans...
(End of this chapter)