Chapter 765: Naval Blockade
Prussian Foreign Minister Friedrich reminded, "Regarding Saxony…"
Baron Thugut nodded slightly and said, "His Majesty can only accept Prussia obtaining Leipzig and Wittenberg."
Friedrich and Grenville exchanged glances and reluctantly replied, "Alright, we will discuss the ownership of the eastern bank of Dresden at a later time. As agreed, our country will continue to send reinforcements to Schérer."
Yes, under British "coordination," Prussia and Austria had decided to partition Saxony after the war.
During this war against France, Saxony—one of the four most powerful German states—had refused to send troops due to its dissatisfaction with Prussia and Austria's previous invasion of Poland. It even sent envoys twice to France to assert its neutrality.
This act enraged both Prussia and Austria.
At the same time, both nations had long coveted Saxony's population and handicraft industry. Over a quarter of Prussia's current territory had been taken from Saxony in the past, and Austria had once briefly erased Saxony from the map during the Bavarian War of Succession.
Swallowing Saxony would undoubtedly be a major gain for both Prussia and Austria.
Meanwhile, Britain, which had previously opposed the strengthening of these two powers, now under pressure from the war with France, had also agreed to this shameless scheme.
After securing the support of Britain and Prussia, Baron Thugut finally breathed a little easier. He turned to them and asked, "Now, regarding reinforcements for the Southern Netherlands…"
"Rest assured, His Grace the Duke of York will soon lead his troops south."
"The Waldeck Legion will enter the Southern Netherlands from Loon and, after joining Prince Coburg, will march together to Wavre."
The Dutch Channel
As dusk approached, most ship captains urged their crews to dock as quickly as possible. However, the Leisure, a vessel belonging to the "Special Trade Committee," raised its sails and left the port of Ostend, heading toward the Atlantic.
The ship was clearly overloaded with cargo, pressing it low into the water. But under the skilled hands of its crew, it swiftly gained speed.
A sailor perched on the mast kept a watchful eye on the surroundings. Just as the sun was about to disappear completely below the horizon, he suddenly shouted anxiously, "Enemy warship spotted! Eleven o'clock!"
The second mate, Maderno, quickly relayed the warning through the speaking tube to the captain's cabin. The entire ship immediately made a hard turn to the right, leaving a curved trail in the water as it desperately tried to evade pursuit.
The British warship soon noticed the Leisure and hoisted its sails, giving chase at full speed.
Maderno, eyes wide with tension, shouted orders for the sailors to throw cargo overboard to lighten the ship and increase its speed.
Thanks to their familiarity with the waterways, the Leisure managed to keep a half-nautical-mile gap between them and the British ship, successfully dragging the chase into the night.
Taking advantage of the darkness, the Leisure executed a series of sharp turns. Finally, under the cover of night, it slipped into the vast Atlantic, barely escaping its pursuers.
In the cargo hold, the captain looked at the remaining cargo—less than a fifth of the original load—and let out a deep sigh. "Looks like we won't be able to hold out much longer…"
Since the war began, British warships had been patrolling the French coastline, capturing or sinking any merchant ships that left port.
In just a month and a half, the Special Trade Association had already lost nearly 60% of its fleet.
Now, only a few merchant ships dared to set sail, escorted by French warships, risking voyages to the Americas or the Far East. But even then, they had to constantly worry about running into the British main fleet.
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