Chapter 368: A Treasure Trove of Coal
What King Charles II didn't know was that Joseph had implemented a rotation system to ensure that the Imperial Guard remained fully energized and motivated. In the southern part of Brussels, he stationed two regiments in each of the two key towns, leaving 1,000 troops to monitor the area in between, plus some scattered cavalry for reconnaissance. This meant that only half of his forces were on active duty at any given time, while the other half underwent routine training in northern Namur. The units rotated every month and a half.
Additionally, Joseph recruited 5,000 local men from the Walloon region to form the "Walloon Guard" to assist in the battles around Brussels. In the French-speaking areas of the Southern Netherlands, it wasn't hard to find people willing to fight for the French Prince if they were paid a little.
In other words, under the current stalemate, 7,000 troops from the Imperial Guard, along with 5,000 temporary recruits, were sufficient to hold off the demoralized 40,000 troops on the other side.
Remembering the humiliation of his capture, King Charles II furiously ordered the officers before him to regroup their forces and launch another attack on the French in three days.
As the Hanoverian generals left in fear, Charles II gradually calmed down. He had personally experienced the fierce combat abilities of the French forces south of Brussels; they had defeated him without even engaging in a full-scale battle.
And over the past month, the situation had shown that with the forces he currently had, along with the disorganized South Netherlandish "peasants," victory would be difficult to achieve.
Sighing deeply, he sat down at his desk and wrote a letter pleading for help to his brother-in-law, King George III of England. Initially, he had intervened in the Southern Netherlands at George III's request, but now it had become his war to fight. After sealing the letter, he decided it wasn't secure enough and wrote a similar letter to Prime Minister William Pitt, urging him to send British troops to reinforce Brussels.
While Charles II was anxious about the war, Joseph was reviewing the results of the recruitment exam for the newly established "Southern Netherlands Military Supplies Preparation Committee."
Yes, Joseph II had almost immediately agreed to allow France to collect supplies from the southern part of the Southern Netherlands to support the military. He also ordered Austrian officials in the region to fully cooperate. In his reply, the Holy Roman Emperor highly praised the French army's decisive role in suppressing the Southern Netherlands' rebellion and resisting the invading forces of Prussia and Hanover. At the end of the letter, the emperor mentioned that Luxembourg would be offered to France as a token of gratitude for its military support.
Joseph then ordered the establishment of this "Military Supplies Preparation Committee," which effectively took control of the Walloon region's tax revenue, finances, and trade. With control of the finances, the committee also had the final say in local administration—any officials who didn't cooperate would find their salaries cut off.
The committee's senior officials were dispatched from France, while the lower ranks were filled by locals from the Walloon region.
Using the experience he gained from the "civil service exams" in Tunisia, Joseph organized a similar exam in the Walloon region. Officially, it was to "select capable individuals to quickly gather the supplies urgently needed by the front lines," but in reality, it was a way to win over the local elite.
As expected, the exam drew a large response from the nobles and capitalists of the Walloon region. In less than three weeks, the exam was completed with impressive efficiency.
Joseph looked over the names of the 103 successful candidates and the positions recommended for them by the committee chairman, Follet, who had previously served as the assistant municipal commissioner of Le Teilleul in France. Joseph gently shook his head.
Follet, noticing this, became nervous and quickly stepped forward, bowing slightly:
"Your Highness, is there something wrong with the positions assigned?"
Joseph raised the document in his hand:
"Do you really think 103 people are enough to ensure the front lines are properly supplied? If our logistics fail, we could lose the war at any moment!"
Follet hesitated. "Your Highness, do you mean...?"
"We need at least 300 positions dedicated to supply procurement to be safe."
Follet was a bit confused, but since the Prince was willing to pay their salaries, he had no objections: "Ah, yes, Your Highness, I will make the adjustments immediately."
Joseph wasn't being frivolous with the salaries; he was actually laying the groundwork for his future bureaucratic system in the Walloon region. Even 300 officials wouldn't be enough.
He then turned to Viscount Frotte, the same nobleman who had previously delivered intelligence and oats to the Imperial Guard and was now a "coordinator" in Mons, effectively serving as deputy mayor. As a representative of the Walloon nobility, the people Frotte recommended would surely be influential in the region.
This strategy effectively aligned French interests with those of the local Walloon elite. In the future, if Austria attempted to retain control of the Walloon region, these people would be the first to oppose it.
"Ah! Thank you for your trust!" Viscount Frotte said, bowing deeply, "I will do my utmost to select the best talent for you!"
"Thank you," Joseph nodded with a smile before adding, "Oh, and I'll also need your cooperation with Chairman Follet on establishing the 'Walloon Coal Mining Company.'"
"Yes, Your Highness."
The so-called Walloon Coal Mining Company was a new company funded by the French National Bank to acquire or take control of coal mines in the Walloon region. Due to the war, coal mine prices had plummeted in recent months, making it the perfect time to invest.
However, unlike the small-scale operations in Luxembourg, the French National Bank couldn't afford to buy up all the mines, so Joseph brought in French and Walloon investors to purchase shares in the company. Of course, decision-making power remained firmly in the hands of the National Bank. As the largest investor and with the backing of the Military Supplies Preparation Committee, the National Bank was easily granted veto power.
Before long, the Walloon region, with its coal reserves rivaling those of the Ruhr Valley in Germany, would become a powerful support for France's industrial revolution.
And once the Coal Mining Company began receiving steady orders from France, the investors, sellers, and workers in the Walloon region who profited would become even more dependent on France.
...
British Foreign Minister the Marquis of Wellesley did not immediately rush to Paris as the Prime Minister had instructed to negotiate terms with the French over India. Instead, he took a ship to Amsterdam and prepared to travel through the war-torn region to Brussels. He knew that he didn't have enough leverage to negotiate with the French over India, so he hoped to find some leverage on the Southern Netherlands front.
However, as soon as he disembarked, he received word of King Charles II's plea for British reinforcements.
(End of Chapter)
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