Chapter 627 Trade Disputes
Four to five hundred people have gathered on Wisgenstrasse in Munich. Most of them are Munich workshop owners, craftsmen and workers, as well as a small number of shop owners.
They held up wooden signs such as "Get out of France" and "Raise tariffs", as well as a scarecrow that read "Cajetan Dietrich".
Dietrich was the diplomat who signed the Treaty of the Rhine-Seine on behalf of Bavaria.
Berlant and his sons joined the team and chanted slogans against French goods with the people around them.
Not long after, a trumpet sounded from the front of the team. Gabriel, senior director of the Munich Chamber of Commerce, stood on top of a carriage, waved vigorously and shouted:
"Everybody follow me to that damn mall!"
He came as an individual, but such a large-scale protest would not have been organized without the participation of the Munich Chamber of Commerce.
The crowd burst into shouts and followed Gabriel towards the Department Store de France.
Three black carriages passed by the protest team, and the window of the middle car suddenly opened. Lord Grenville, the British Foreign Secretary, stuck his head out and looked at the words on the slogan with great interest.
By chance, Berlant came over holding the scarecrow. He waved to it and asked:
"Sir, what are you protesting about?"
It took a lot of effort for the latter to understand his Low German, and he said in a rough voice:
"Our shop is going bankrupt, sir. Those damn officials, in order to please the French, set the tariffs very low. People are buying French goods. We can't let this situation continue."
He had forgotten that when the Treaty of the Rhine-Seine was first signed, they, the workshop owners, held celebrations in order to enter the vast French market.
As he spoke, he quickened his pace to catch up with the large army.
Grenville remembered that a similar protest had occurred in Vienna not long ago, and immediately ordered the coachman to follow the protest team.
In front of the Department Store of France, Berlant and others lit a "Dietrich" made of straw, waved wooden signs, and cursed loudly. Soon, they got into arguments with customers who came to the mall to shop, and some even started fighting.
Half an hour later, the police and the army arrived one after another, blowing whistles, dispersed the protesting workshop owners, and arrested a few of the most violent ones.
In the carriage, Lord Grenville's assistant watched the middle-aged man who had just spoken to them being escorted away by two policemen, shook his head and said:
"These poor guys actually think that just a few hundred people can affect the trade pattern."
Grenville looked at the mess outside the department store with interest, stroked his cane and said:
“Kevin, it’s just a city.
"I'm afraid there are thousands of such protesters throughout Bavaria. And as far as I know, there are also a large number of people who are dissatisfied with low tariffs in Austria, Württemberg, Salzburg and other places."
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Kevin shrugged: "Yes, your lord, so they will keep armies everywhere busy for a while."
Grenville closed the car window and looked at his assistant with a smile: "Kevin, you have to consider that their anger comes from the same reason, that is, French goods took away their business."
"What do you mean?"
"If these people can be united, it will be an extremely amazing force. Moreover, the target is France."
Grenville leaned back in his chair and ordered his assistant:
"Kevin, let's not go to the Southern Netherlands now. Help me make appointments with Pappenheim and Dietrich, oh, and the president of the Munich Chamber of Commerce." Pappenheim is the Bavarian Foreign Minister, and Dietrich Rishi is the trade commissioner.
A week later.
In the hall on the second floor of Schönbrunn Palace, Austrian Interior Minister Kobczl looked at Grenville who suddenly arrived with a solemn expression, nodded and said:
"As you just said, our country's financial situation is no longer optimistic. Last year's new debt exceeded 5 million florins."
Facing Prussian allies, he was already trying his best to hide Austria's debt situation. In fact, Austria's new debt last year was nearly 10 million florins, bringing the total debt to more than 100 million florins.
Kobczl continued: "However, His Majesty the Emperor has approved the plan to issue banknotes, which will greatly improve our country's financial situation. I hope that your country can support our country's banknotes in terms of trade..."
"Paper money is indeed a very effective fiscal instrument," Grenville said hurriedly, "but you should probably be more concerned about the country's trade imbalance, otherwise the deficit will only continue to accumulate."
"Yes, our trade income has shrunk to a certain extent."
"It should be a relatively large shrinkage." Grenville corrected rudely. He has roughly grasped Austria's trade data in recent years through various channels.
"At the same time, your country's trade expenditures continue to rise. With all due respect, if this situation does not change, Austria's finances will soon face collapse."
Hearing this, Kobucil said happily: "So, you want to provide loans to our country?"
Next to him, the new Foreign Minister Count Rheinfels also smiled: "Maybe we can broker a new trade cooperation agreement?"
Grenville shook his head: "You misunderstood, I want to help your country solve the trade imbalance problem.
"You should have noticed that the Treaty of the Rhine-Seine seriously worsened Austria's trade situation.
"A large amount of French goods have poured into your country. You paid a lot of gold coins for it. However, your products do not have a big market in France, and they have even begun to lose the South German market.
"I think this agreement is very unfair."
Kobucil and Count Rheinfels looked at each other, both of them silent.
Grenville continued to confuse: "Your country must renegotiate with France on the tariff ratio to reverse this situation."
Kobucil immediately shook his head: "Faud and Austria have a deep friendship, and we are not prepared to do this."
He paused and then said: "Your suggestions will only anger France and even lead to war in our country."
Trade disputes were the second largest cause of war in this era, after inheritance issues.
"You don't need to worry." Lord Grenville smiled confidently, "Our country will fully support your country's trade proposition."
He did not wait for the Austrians to refuse, then continued: "To tell you the truth, before I came here, I went to Bavaria and Salzburg. They also believed that the Treaty of the Rhine-Seine needed to be revised urgently.
"I can help you convince all the contracting countries such as Württemberg and Augsburg to unanimously demand the renegotiation of the Treaty of the Rhine-Seine.
"Under the joint pressure of so many countries, France will have no choice but to compromise."
(End of chapter)