Chapter 767: Saving France means saving the United States
Yes, even if the war started, Britain would still have to buy sugar from France.
At the same time, France continues to supply sugar products to all of Europe.
After all, the British always have to get sugar to survive, and France has invested heavily in the sugar beet industry. There are also many farmers who rely on growing sugar beets, and the refined sugar also needs to be marketable.
Besides, the price of sugar is so high now, no fool would refuse to sell it.
In fact, the high profits from cane sugar currently support almost one-fifth of France's military spending.
What is somewhat different from people's usual concepts is that no matter how brutal the war is, most people's economic exchanges continue.
Just like when the United States and the Soviet Union wanted to dig each other's ancestral graves during the Cold War, in fact, the business that should be done has always been done, but the transaction methods may have some tricks.
Of course, France only relies on the transportation volume of 7 merchant ships, which is far from meeting its trade needs with the Americas and the Far East.
We can persist in the short term, but if the war drags on for too long, it will still have a huge impact on the domestic economy.
The first is the shortage of industrial raw materials.
France relies heavily on foreign imports for cotton, wool, leather, grease, and even rope.
After these items are industrially processed in France, they are then sold around the world with high added value. If there is a shortage of raw materials, France's industry will soon experience widespread shrinkage.
The second is the decrease in the market.
The inability to withdraw funds after the products are manufactured will further damage France's industrial base.
Industry and commerce declined, followed by a national economic crisis...
Therefore, when France faces the British naval blockade, the overall situation is still very dangerous. It must win on the battlefield as soon as possible in order to break the situation.
The other is to use diplomatic means as much as possible to strive for a favorable situation for France.
More than 50 days later, the "Yunwu" finally completed its crossing of the Atlantic and arrived at the Port of Philadelphia in the United States.
Baron Fourcade changed into very formal attire and met the US Secretary of State Jefferson who came to greet him at the port. Fourcade came to the United States as a special envoy of the King of France.
He originally planned to follow the French Navy's fleet to North America, but Lord Richard Howe has been leading the English Channel Fleet to hang around from the port of Le Havre to the Port of Brest, and the departure of a large number of warships can easily cause the British Navy to Notice.
It would be very troublesome for a diplomat like him to be captured by the British.
So at the suggestion of the French Navy, he found another way and quietly came to the United States on the "Trade Express" ship.
After a simple welcome ceremony, Fourcade submitted a note to Jefferson. The content was very simple, requiring the United States to comply with the Treaty of Alliance between the United States and France and immediately declare war on Britain.
Joseph knew very well that the United States had betrayed France in its history.
After France and the anti-French alliance went to war, it was difficult for the United States to trade with France due to the British naval blockade.
In order to make up for the missing market, the Americans immediately signed the "Jay's Treaty" with the United Kingdom and switched their arms to the United Kingdom. There was no mention of the fact that Louis XVI almost bankrupted the country in order to support American independence.
Later, it even rejected the huge loan provided by France when the United States became independent.
In this life, Joseph naturally cannot let the United States continue to be at odds with France and stab France in the back at will.
Check out the 16-9 book bar and see the correct version!
Washington immediately used delaying tactics, always using the excuse that it needed parliament to discuss the vote, making Fourcade wait for more than half a month.
Fourcade was not in a hurry to rush Washington. Instead, according to the instructions of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, he began to give speeches throughout Philadelphia. The theme was to recall how France worked hard to help the United States gain independence, the deep brotherhood between the United States and France, and the shamelessness of France. Britain has once again provoked war. The American and French brothers must unite as they did before and teach the British a lesson together.
At the same time, the French-controlled "American News" also followed suit, arguing that the British naval blockade was actually a conspiracy to undermine U.S. trade with Europe and weaken the United States. If France were defeated, Britain would immediately concentrate its efforts on turning the North American continent into its own colony.
For a time, a saying became popular across the United States - saving France means saving the United States.
Later, some people began to call people to march in front of the U.S. Congress, shouting to abide by the treaty and oppose British hegemony.
(End of chapter)