Chapter 580 Capital appreciation and Austrian industry
"Hey! When did the empire become what it is now!"
Franz Joseph sighed at the predicament facing the Austrian Empire, and in his heart, he even complained about his grandfather (Emperor Franz) who had been out of date for more than ten years.
Had it not been for his grandfather's repeated misjudgments, the Austrian Empire would not have fallen to this point.
However, despite all the complaints, Franz Joseph still knew clearly what should be said and what should not be said.
"Your Majesty, the main mistake that made the empire what it is now is my fault!" Prince Metternich took all the mistakes on himself, "It was all because of our original strategic mistakes that led to what we are now.
The current situation we are facing!”
"Consultant Metternich, this is not your mistake!" Franz Joseph quickly comforted Prince Metternich: "You have done a good job!"
In fact, as Franz Joseph said, Austria was able to maintain the dignity of the victorious country at the Congress of Vienna thanks to Prince Metternich.
Although the Austrian Empire at that time owned the third largest land in Europe, its troops were even inferior to those of the Kingdom of Bavaria, with only about 50,000 people.
Prince Metternich relied on the more than 50,000 troops in his hands to seize land that was completely unmatched by their contribution.
Although these lands became a burden to the Austrian Empire after 1848, from the perspective of the time, the Austrian Empire simply lost money.
As for the Kingdom of Prussia, which laid the foundation for victory in the Battle of Waterloo, in addition to annexing most of the Saxon territory, the Rhineland that Metternich had forced into its arms was simply a negative asset.
It’s just that history is always full of drama. What was once a negative asset has turned into an industrial heart. What was once the richest and best-ruled region in Italy has now become the most turbulent region in the empire.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me!" Prince Metternich persuaded Joseph Franz earnestly: "Please do not have any resistance to the French Empire! Because the Austrian Empire not only needs the support of the French Empire in the military field, we
We also need the support of the French Empire in the economic field!"
"Economic field?" Franz Joseph repeated it twice.
"That's right!" Prince Metternich nodded and explained to Franz Joseph in the most understandable terms: "Your Majesty, on the way from Strasbourg to Paris, you should have seen France and Austria.
What a huge difference!"
"Um!"
Although Franz Joseph was unwilling to admit that the French Empire was superior to the Austrian Empire in all aspects, he still admitted the gap to Metternich.
"Your Majesty, do you know why France and Britain are developing so rapidly?" Prince Metternich asked in return.
"Because France's business is developed?" Franz Joseph responded tentatively.
"This is just one of the aspects!" Prince Metternich nodded happily and said: "When I was in the Kingdom of Britain, I had a review with Russell and Palmerston of the Kingdom of Britain. They told me the reason why the Kingdom of Britain is so good.
The most important factor in such rapid development is industrialization!”
"What is industrialization?" Franz Joseph asked Prince Metternich.
Although the pace of industrialization in Europe is now advancing steadily, the only countries that can truly understand industrialization are Britain and France. For Joseph Franz, the concept of industrialization is still vague.
"Industrialization means a process of capital appreciation led by mechanical mass production!" Metternich shared his understanding of industrialization with Franz Joseph.
Franz Joseph frowned, then nodded in understanding.
"If the Austrian Empire wants to become an industrialized country like Britain and France, it must vigorously develop factories, improve the efficiency of steam engines, and improve the country's transportation... This requires sufficient manpower, sufficient resources, a unified market, and data.
Technology with hundreds of millions of capital and cash!" Metternich explained to Franz Joseph: "Our Austrian Empire does not lack human resources, resources, and markets. What we lack is capital and technology! And these two items are
Britain and France have a monopoly, which means that if we want to develop rapidly, we cannot do without the support of Britain and France."
"Is France really willing to help us?" Franz Joseph asked Prince Metternich.
"Your Majesty, our son Richard told me that His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte is willing to provide some help to the Austrian Empire!" Prince Metternich responded to Franz Joseph with a pleased smile on his face.
: "Richard also told me that he also met a large number of industrialists during his tenure in Paris, and they were all very willing to work for the friendship between the French Empire and the Austrian Empire!"
"Richard?" Franz Joseph muttered in a low voice, and then added: "I didn't expect that his connections in Paris would be so wide!"
"This is all because of you!" Prince Metternich replied flatteringly to Franz Joseph.
"Because of me?" Franz Joseph looked at Prince Metternich in surprise.
"Many industrialists are willing to invest in the Austrian Empire because they appreciate your vigorous and resolute style!"
…
Just when Prince Metternich was earnestly persuading Franz Joseph to embrace the French Empire, Jerome Bonaparte and Mokar also arrived at the Quai d'Orsay.
Entering the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jérôme Bonaparte met the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as soon as he entered the door.
"Your Majesty!" After seeing Jerome Bonaparte arriving, the Secretary of State quickly bowed to Jerome Bonaparte.
Jérôme Bonaparte immediately asked the Secretary of State if Minister de Ruys was still in the office.
"Your Majesty, Minister Ruiz is still in the office!" the Secretary of State immediately responded to Jérôme Bonaparte.
"Take me to him immediately!" Jerome Bonaparte ordered.
"yes!"
The Secretary of State took Jérôme Bonaparte to the minister's office, and then opened the door.
De Luys, who was doing his homework by candlelight, heard the noise coming from the door of the room. He raised his head and found Jerome Bonaparte standing at the door of the room.
"Your Majesty, why are you here!" De Luys said as he stood up and walked in the direction of Jerome Bonaparte.
"What's wrong? Can't I come?" Jérôme Bonaparte asked De Ruys in a joking tone.
"Of course not!" De Luys, who came to Jerome Bonaparte, bowed to Jerome Bonaparte, and then invited Jerome Bonaparte to sit down on the sofa nearby: "If you
If there is anything important, you can send someone to inform me! I will rush to the Tuileries Palace as quickly as possible, why bother you to come there in person!"
"The Tuileries Palace is not a place for conversation now! If things go wrong, our guest from afar may think that we are doing some conspiracy behind his back!" Jérôme is not yet aware that his whereabouts have been exposed.
Bonaparte had some pointers to De Ruys.
"Your Majesty, are you talking about His Majesty Franz Joseph?" De Luys replied.
"Of course!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded, "The Austrian Empire is the empire's most important strategic partner in the future! Forget it, let's not talk about this! I am not here to come to you today because of the Austrian Empire's affairs.
, but the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg!”
"The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg?" De Luys showed a puzzled expression. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg seemed to have no connection with the French Empire.
"I am planning to buy the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg from my brother-in-law, the King of the Netherlands, but I am afraid of the opposition of the Kingdom of Britain!" Jerome Bonaparte said bluntly to De Ruys.
De Ruys looked at Jérôme Bonaparte in confusion. As the Foreign Minister, he had no idea that such a thing existed.
Looking at De Ruys with a confused look on his face, Jérôme Bonaparte explained to De Ruys the ins and outs of purchasing the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
The purchase of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg began after Augusta returned to Paris from the Kingdom of Württemberg. The then Queen Augusta not only brought the Moltke family, but also asked Jérôme Bonnard in a casual chat.
Ba revealed the news that the King of the Netherlands, Jerome Bonaparte's brother-in-law, wanted to sell the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to his old father-in-law, William I.
Youdao means that the speaker is unintentional, but the listener is intentional.
Jérôme Bonaparte immediately thought of the crisis of the Duchy of Luxembourg in history (1869). The King of the Kingdom of the Netherlands at that time also wanted to sell the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to Napoleon III. Who knew that a Bismarck came out halfway and sold the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to Napoleon III?
This deal completely collapsed, and as a result, the French Empire was forced to give up the redemption of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg under pressure from Prussia, Russia, and Britain.
He immediately realized that this was an opportunity for France to expand its territory, so Jérôme Bonaparte secretly sent his best confidant Pesini to Württemberg without informing anyone.
The king discussed with his old father-in-law.
Pesigny lived up to Jerome Bonaparte's expectations and established contact with his old father-in-law, and then directly maintained contact with his brother-in-law William III of the Kingdom of the Netherlands through his old father-in-law.
Jérôme Bonaparte and William III have been discussing with their father-in-law for half a year, and only now have they reached a preliminary consensus.
"My brother-in-law is particularly timid. He wants to buy the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg at a good price, but he is afraid of the British and Austrian empires!" After Jerome Bonaparte explained the ins and outs to De Ruys, he explained
The character of William III: "So I told him through the Kingdom of Württemberg to let him relax! All consequences will be borne by France!"