Chapter 344: War and Military Expenses
Besides its large military, Mysore was an extremely wealthy state. Thanks to trade with the British, Mysore exported vast amounts of cotton, tea, spices, indigo, and sugar, which brought immense wealth to its nobility. This wealth could ensure that the country had plenty of resources to support a war. In modern terms, Lafayette had never fought such a well-funded war.
Of course, his opponent this time was also far stronger—Britain, the most powerful nation in the world at that time, was no small challenge. The East India Company alone had a standing army of over 3,000 men in India, which could be expanded to 6,000 if necessary. If Britain sent reinforcements from home, they could field an army of 10,000 within three to four months.
Additionally, the British-controlled princely states and their Indian allies could provide vast numbers of troops, potentially up to 200,000. Though these Indian soldiers were not as effective as those of Mysore, their sheer numbers could pose a significant threat. Furthermore, these princely states could offer logistical support to the British, further influencing the course of the war.
Therefore, one of Joseph's most crucial orders to Lafayette was to form alliances with the local Indian states, or at the very least, to keep them from siding with the British. In the late 18th century, Britain's control over India was not as strong as it would be in the 19th century. The regions fully under British control accounted for less than one-fifth of India's total area, with most regions engaged in alliances rather than direct rule.
The rulers of these princely states were notoriously greedy and could easily be swayed by bribes.
As Lafayette and Salah discussed the results of the recent council meeting, they boarded their carriage. Lafayette suddenly remembered something and pulled a colorful ribbon from his pocket, showing it to Salah. "Oh, Tipu Sultan has also bestowed upon me the title of 'Umda.' There's a ceremony for it the day after tomorrow at noon. Will you be free to attend?"
"Umda" was the highest-ranking military title in Mysore, showing just how much Tipu Sultan valued Lafayette.
Salah smiled and nodded. "Congratulations, Marquis. I certainly won't miss such an occasion."
...
Southern Netherlands, East of Brussels.
Over ten thousand soldiers in red uniforms and white breeches marched in a long, winding column across the lush green fields, their movements accompanied by the steady beat of drums. The red line extended far into the distance, disappearing into the faint morning mist that shrouded the distant hills.
Not far from a twelve-pound cannon pulled by eight horses, two officers rode side by side, surrounded by guards. The man on the left, wearing a red uniform with gold buttons and two dark blue sashes across his chest, had thick eyebrows, a high nose, and a handsome face. This was Charles II, the current Governor of Hanover.
He was muttering rapidly, "The members of the Southern Netherlands Parliament are all fools. The Austrian army hasn't even been fully driven out, and the French have already joined the fray, yet these politicians are completely obsessed with gaining control of the parliament... It's even affecting military deployments. Over 8,000 soldiers are just idling in Ghent, while we're left to fight the French ourselves. Especially that guy Onck—those soldiers have been resting for over a month, and he wants them to stay on leave until the end of the year... They might as well retire in Ghent at this rate."
Beside him, General Karel van Bronsveld, commander of the Dutch volunteer forces, nodded helplessly. "Indeed. But right now, Onck's influence in the Southern Netherlands military is incredibly high. After our defeat at the hands of the French, the troops are quite eager for rest. Onck's orders align perfectly with their wishes."
Charles II glanced at the army beside him and snorted. "Once we defeat the Austrians, I will strongly recommend that His Majesty the King merge the Southern Netherlands Parliament with the Dutch Parliament."
Hearing this, Bronsveld's heart swelled with hope. Although Britain had been secretly promising to unite the Netherlands with the Southern Netherlands, hearing it directly from the frontline commander of Hanover—who effectively represented British interests—increased his confidence in this outcome.
He quickly flattered Charles II before hesitating and asking, "Marshal, do you think the French will send more troops to the Low Countries after we defeat the Austro-French forces?"
As a Dutchman, Bronsveld was naturally concerned about having France, a powerful neighbor, so close by. After all, just a few decades earlier, Louis XIV had nearly destroyed the Netherlands.
Charles II laughed dismissively. "I recall you're a shareholder in the Amsterdam Bank, correct? Then you must be well aware of France's current financial situation."
As an old financial empire, the Netherlands had banking operations all over Europe, especially in France. Over 40% of France's foreign debt was owed to Dutch banks.
General Bronsveld nodded. "Yes, I'm somewhat informed. France's debt still exceeds 2 billion livres."
What he didn't know was that while the total amount of French debt hadn't changed much, Joseph had already replaced a significant portion of it with low-interest debt during the previous financial crisis, greatly reducing the pressure on the French treasury.
Charles II turned to him and said, "You're aware that France maintains an army of over 20,000 in North Africa to guard against potential attacks from Algiers and Tripoli. They also have 30,000 troops in Silesia and 20,000 in Luxembourg. These overseas deployments are a massive financial burden. France simply can't afford to support more troops without risking a fiscal collapse before they even see battle."
Bronsveld nodded in agreement. Charles II continued, "France's standing army is less than 120,000 men. Currently, over 70,000 are stationed abroad. Without a massive recruitment effort, they won't even have enough troops to maintain order at home."
He pointed southeast. "So, once we defeat the French forces in Luxembourg, the fighting in the Low Countries will be over. And with our superior numbers, we'll achieve that soon enough."
As the commanders of the Hanover and Dutch armies talked boldly, far to the southeast, on the border between Luxembourg and Liège, General Leo was frowning at Lefebvre. "Colonel, my friend, perhaps it would be better to rest a bit longer."
Lefebvre, who had been promoted to colonel after his successful pursuit of the enemy, smiled and pointed to the distant Austrian camp. "General, your reinforcements have already arrived. You wouldn't want to betray the Emperor's trust, would you?"
To draw Prussian and Hanoverian attention to the Southern Netherlands, Emperor Joseph II had sent Leo 8,000 more soldiers, bringing his army close to 10,000 strong.
(End of Chapter)
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