Chapter 620: The Great Franco-American Alliance!
London.
In a high-end café on the eastern end of Downing Street, run by French proprietors, Ségur waved his hand emphatically, his voice tinged with anger as he spoke to Tristan:
"Britain is deliberately destabilizing the order in North America and the Caribbean!"
Originally, Ségur had been lodging a formal diplomatic protest against Britain. Unexpectedly, he "coincidentally" encountered the American envoy and invited him to an informal meeting.
The American envoy, however, maintained a more measured demeanor:
"Count Ségur, I believe this might simply be the personal actions of British abolitionists."
As a senior diplomat, Tristan was aware that the Duke of Leeds had recently expressed a desire to strengthen Anglo-American diplomatic ties.
Britain had offered to support America's territorial claims over Indigenous lands—essentially ceasing support for the Native Americans—while expanding trade relations and granting the U.S. greater access to British markets.
Logically, Britain wouldn't sabotage these budding relations by stirring up trouble for America so soon.
Ségur sneered. "The entire world can see what Britain is doing. Your country's cotton production is rising rapidly, threatening to significantly depress the prices of cotton grown in Britain's Far East colonies. So, they've decided to use black slave insurgents to destroy your plantations."
Tristan frowned slightly. He had to admit that the French envoy's words made sense. Perhaps the Duke of Leeds's recent visit to Philadelphia had been a calculated ploy to lull the U.S. government into complacency.
He silently resolved to report this theory to Congress, highlighting the potential risks posed by Britain.
Ségur pressed on with a tone of urgency:
"So, what does your country intend to do to punish Britain for this action?"
"Well… I've already issued a strong protest to Lord Grenville, expressing our dissatisfaction…"
Ségur shook his head. "Listen to me. Your country's heavy reliance on British trade gives them the confidence to repeatedly undermine your interests.
"As allies, we must do something to change this dynamic. My country has also suffered immense losses—Saint-Domingue has been thrown into chaos by the British. We should unite!"
Tristan's interest was piqued.
As a member of America's hawkish faction, Tristan had been tasked by Washington to hold Britain accountable. However, he understood that America, as a young and small nation, lacked the strength to retaliate effectively. Partnering with France to punish Britain presented an appealing alternative.
"What exactly are you proposing?"
"Let's start by reducing your dependence on British trade," Ségur suggested. "France can significantly increase its imports of American cotton and timber. This will strengthen your bargaining position when dealing with Britain."
Tristan hesitated. "With all due respect, Count Ségur, France's import capacity is already saturated. You wouldn't be able to absorb so much cotton and timber."
"You're absolutely correct," Ségur replied solemnly, nodding. "But to support our allies in gaining diplomatic leverage—and to vent our own frustrations—our government is prepared to allocate special funds to purchase a substantial quantity of cotton. We will also invest in restoring plantations that have been damaged by the recent unrest."
Tristan beamed with delight. "Ah! Thank you to our closest ally!
"Could you share the approximate scale of this special funding?"
Ségur promptly replied, "At least 8 million francs."
He had already been instructed by the Crown Prince to discuss cotton procurement with America after addressing Britain's provocations. This meeting was merely a prelude to formal negotiations.
Joseph anticipated that the Boukman rebellion would severely impact cotton production. By stockpiling cotton before the market reacted, France could secure sufficient raw materials for its textile industry.
Even if the surplus cotton wasn't immediately needed, the inevitable price surge caused by reduced American supply would allow France to sell at a profit.
As for investing in American plantations, that was an even more lucrative opportunity.
Plantations devastated by the rebellion were teetering on bankruptcy. A modest investment could secure shares from desperate plantation owners.
This would not only diversify France's raw material sources but also further pull America away from Britain's market orbit.
Had it not been for the immense aid France had provided during America's fight for independence, the U.S. would have likely aligned itself fully with Britain by now.
This was why, historically, America had severed its alliance with France shortly after the French Revolution and sought closer ties with Britain instead.
Ideally, as a parliamentary republic, America should have supported France's move to abolish monarchy and establish a republic.
However, economic dependence on Britain dictated otherwise.
Thus, shifting America's trade orientation became a priority—and this incident of Anglo-American friction provided an invaluable opportunity.
Tristan's smile was barely concealed as he replied,
"I will report this good news to Congress at once. Long live the Franco-American alliance!"
"Long live the Franco-American alliance!" Ségur echoed, smiling. "Of course, if your country offers appropriate trade concessions, I could appeal to Archbishop Brienne for additional funding."
"I'll do my best to lobby the trade committee for favorable terms!"
Western Caribbean, Jamaica
As dusk settled over Kingston Harbor, the day's activities wound down. On the docks, black slaves were driven by overseers' whips, shuffling listlessly back to their quarters.
Meanwhile, on a discreet sandy inlet north of the docks, a group of over 30 black laborers worked under the supervision of five or six white and mixed-race men, unloading crates from a single-masted schooner.
The "overseers" carried whips but paid little attention to the workers, instead scanning the surroundings vigilantly.
A mixed-race man lit his pipe and took a deep puff, muttering to a nearby "overseer,"
"The governor has gathered over a thousand soldiers. Even with these guns, we can't possibly defeat them."
Indeed, the crates being unloaded contained Brown Bess flintlock muskets—leftover arms from the Duke of Leeds's Saint-Domingue operation two months prior.
A tall, middle-aged man standing nearby replied calmly,
"There are 300,000 black slaves on this island. I've brought guns, so we'll always outnumber the plantation owners."
Another white man interjected, "Major Aureol, those blacks can only grow sugarcane. We can't rely on them to fight."
"Yes, remember the slave uprising two years ago? It involved over 3,000 slaves, yet 600 British soldiers crushed them."
Aureol smiled. "Then we'll ally with the Dignity Movement for the rebellion. Their 'patrol squads' number over 400 men."
The Dignity Movement was Jamaica's abolitionist organization, primarily composed of white members.
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