Chapter 618: Adding More Fuel to the Fire
At the Port-au-Prince docks, the Duke of Leeds, dressed as a sugar merchant, quickly boarded the merchant ship Warm Breeze.
"These foolish and greedy 'mulattoes,'" he said, glancing back at the island with a sneer. "Do they think they're emperors of the Caribbean? They dared to demand £300,000 in aid from me!"
The term "mulattoes" was the common derogatory reference to people of mixed African and European heritage.
"Mind the gangplank, Your Grace," his aide said, steadying him. "What could you expect from people with black blood? Greed is their defining trait.
"Still, they are quite capable in battle—they managed to defeat Mably's forces in less than two weeks."
The Duke of Leeds tapped his cane against the deck as he walked toward the ship's forecabin, disdainfully saying, "Only because the French are utterly useless. They're always prattling about liberty and equality. Ha! Now they've truly achieved equality—with the blacks."
"That works in our favor," the aide replied.
"Indeed. Saint-Domingue will now have to pay wages to its freed black workers, raising plantation costs by at least 20%. We'll no longer have to worry about competition from French sugar." The Duke nodded at his aide, who opened the cabin door for him. "And I can finally leave this cursed place."
Upon learning that the abolitionist forces had defeated the governor's army, the Duke had decided to return to Britain.
Ogé, in his naivety, believed he had won a great victory and even requested diplomatic support and £300,000 in material aid from Britain—a laughable notion. To the Duke, Ogé and his abolitionist movement were merely tools to destabilize Saint-Domingue, yet the fool actually believed himself to be Britain's ally.
The Warm Breeze carried the Duke to the Bahamas, where he transferred to a British warship bound for Europe. After all, a third-rate warship was much faster and more stable than a merchant vessel.
However, upon reaching Bermuda for resupply, he encountered a British warship arriving from Europe.
An official aboard that vessel, upon learning of the Duke's presence, hastened to deliver an urgent dispatch from the Foreign Secretary.
The Duke took out his cipher book, frowning as he decoded the message. His expression grew grave as he ordered his aide, "Find me a merchant ship—I must return to Port-au-Prince."
The dispatch stated:
The French government has officially announced plans to send 10,000 troops to suppress the rebellion in Saint-Domingue. The Foreign Secretary authorizes the Duke of Leeds to take all necessary measures to support the abolitionist movement in Saint-Domingue and ensure that chaos there continues unabated.
"Damn it!" the Duke cursed, tearing the translated message to pieces and tossing it into the sea. Returning to his cabin, he penned a letter to Lord Grenville, requesting £300,000 in funding.
Paris
Joseph emerged from the Paris Military Technical School, surrounded by a dozen officers.
"You've done excellent work keeping the school running smoothly," he said to the school's administrative head. "I'll have the General Staff allocate some horses for training purposes, but don't overemphasize equestrian courses. Ensure most soldiers simply don't fall off their mounts—that's sufficient for now. After all, training cavalry is the responsibility of the Army Cadet Academy."
The director bowed with some disappointment. "Understood, Your Highness. I'll follow your instructions."
The director had hoped to add more dragoon training to the curriculum, as dragoons primarily used horses for mobility and dismounted to fight, making them easier to train. However, the Crown Prince had declined.
It wasn't that Joseph opposed increasing cavalry numbers, but the Paris Military Technical School, which had split off from the Police Academy, had already admitted over 6,000 new students this year. With many instructors reassigned to Lyon and Toulouse, maintaining quality infantry and sharpshooter training was already a challenge.
With war in Europe looming, the immediate goal was to train 50,000 additional soldiers within two years. The technical school needed to stay focused.
After offering some words of encouragement to the school officials, Joseph was about to step into his carriage when Fouché hurried over, bowing deeply before speaking quickly.
"Your Highness, it's news from the Caribbean."
Joseph had instructed Fouché to report on developments in Saint-Domingue promptly. Upon receiving the latest intelligence, Fouché had rushed from the Tuileries Palace to catch up with him.
Joseph gestured for Fouché to enter the carriage.
"How are things progressing?"
"Overall, things are going well, Your Highness," Fouché replied, handing over the translated report. "However, some unexpected developments arose, prompting Mr. Brissot and Major Delman to adjust the plan."
After listening to Fouché summarize the situation, Joseph nodded slightly.
"So, the British have intervened in Saint-Domingue earlier than expected.
"Brissot's response was commendable—this will certainly entangle Britain in considerable trouble. Still, if Boukman has gone to America, we'll need to prepare our textile industry in advance.
"Next, we must publicly protest Britain's involvement and maximize the international fallout from this incident."
Joseph turned to Fouché.
"However, since the Duke of Leeds currently holds no official position in the British government, Pitt will likely dismiss his actions as personal ventures."
Fouché nodded. "That's likely, Your Highness. But it still places Britain in an awkward position."
"We need to ensure the British government can't wash its hands of this," Joseph said after a brief pause.
"Do you think the British are aware of what's happening in America?"
"They probably don't know yet, Your Highness. Mr. Brissot sent back intelligence immediately after sending Boukman to America. Given the time it'll take for Boukman to cause a stir, at least two weeks remain."
"Two weeks gives us ample time to maneuver." Joseph nodded, his thoughts turning to a particular figure.
"You're familiar with Wilberforce, correct?"
"Do you mean William Wilberforce, the Second Lord of the Treasury?"
"Yes, the leader of British abolitionism."
Fouché added, "Yes, Your Highness—one of the 'Clapham Saints.'"
The "Clapham Saints" were prominent figures in Britain's anti-slavery movement. Since slavery had already been abolished in Britain itself, their efforts focused on opposing the transatlantic slave trade.
Joseph nodded.
"Then let's rope a few of them into this. Send someone to Britain immediately. Here's what I want you to do…"
"Yes, Your Highness."
A few days later, a British abolitionist journalist, introduced through a trade guild, met with London City Councilor Lord Middleton. Through this connection, the journalist secured an interview with Second Lord of the Treasury, William Wilberforce.
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