Charles sat in the bar, but his thoughts turned in another direction.
Their journey downstream had been smooth sailing, and the speed of their voyage was incredibly fast. Charles and his group had only stopped at four already conquered Colonies before reaching their destination, St. Louis.
However, after these four stops, Charles found that one of his well-planned matters could not be implemented.
Although the ship's speed was relatively fast, it was difficult for people on land to contact him, but Charles had basically not encountered Major Sherman, the other commander of the Western Expeditionary Force, during his journey.
According to the remaining personnel, after conquering the Massac Colony, the major received a letter. He then left a few dozen wounded militiamen to garrison, and silently returned to Pittsburgh with his troops.
Charles had originally intended to see if he could develop Massac into an advance point for trade with Louisiana, and he also wanted Sherman to become the supreme commander of the Western garrison.
Unexpectedly, Sherman was nowhere to be found in Massac, and the person in charge of the town was actually a surrendered colonist, so he immediately dared not make this decision. At the same time, he was greatly surprised by Sherman's return to Pittsburgh.
Although he and Patrick had both written to Sherman, they had absolutely not ordered him to return to Pittsburgh. Charles had to worry about such an officer who acted on his own with thousands of troops.
At the same time, he felt that it would be obviously inconvenient to give up the arrangement and directly depart from Pittsburgh to St. Louis or New Orleans for business, so Charles naturally worried about how to set up an advance point.
They didn't wait long in the tavern. The city of St. Louis was also very small now, and the arrival of such a ship at the dock caused a sensation. The governor had already received the news. By the time the envoy ran to report, the governor had already donned his noble attire and was preparing to set off for the dock.
Charles hadn't finished his first glass of French original wine when a noisy sound came from outside. The governor personally came to the dock to see the envoy from Pittsburgh.
"Oh! My God! Is it such an ugly ship that brought you flying here?" An exaggerated voice sounded on the dock.
"Pfft!" Charles directly spat out the red wine in his mouth.
Outside the dock, laughter had already erupted.
When Charles and his group walked out of the tavern, they saw several splendidly dressed people standing in front of the "William V" gesticulating. Various noble costumes, surrounded by guards, clearly indicated they were French nobles and respectable people of St. Louis.
Especially the middle-aged fat man in the very center, whose figure was almost the same as the tricorn hat on his head. It was pointed at the top and round at the bottom, shaped like a morning glory. At this moment, he was still shouting in an exaggerated noble voice:
"Can this ship really run? Why doesn't it have sails, and it doesn't have the smoke you mentioned..."
"Cough, cough!" The envoy standing beside him could only interrupt his governor's words with a heavy cough. Such behavior was truly too impolite in a diplomatic setting, especially since he had already seen Charles and others coming out.
"Your Excellency! governor, this is sir Charles Godfrey from Pittsburgh, a representative of the Continental Congress of the Thirteen American Colonies." The envoy had to use a louder voice to remind the governor and introduce Charles and his group to him.
As he had not yet received notification from France, the envoy dared not verbally acknowledge the United States of America, still referring to it as the Thirteen American Colonies.
Hearing the envoy's address, Charles naturally knew that the fat man in front of him was the French governor of Louisiana. This Louisiana Territory included the present-day US states of Arkansas, missouri, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and most or part of Minnesota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Louisiana.
Its administrative center was actually in New Orleans at the mouth of the mississippi River, but as the largest city in central America, it was not surprising to see the governor here.
Knowing that the fat man was the most powerful governor of Louisiana in America, Charles did not need the envoy to introduce him again, and had already taken off his hat and bowed to the fat man.
"Your Excellency, it is a great honor to see you in St. Louis! I am Charles Godfrey, a citizen from the United States of America, here to convey the friendship of the United States."
"Oh! Are you the envoy from Pittsburgh? I am also very pleased to see you, sir Charles Godfrey. Uh, it's just that, did you really come by this thing?" The fat governor paid no attention to diplomatic etiquette, pointing at the ugly "William V" and directly asking a question that made Charles very embarrassed.
"Haha! Your Excellency can ask your envoy here, he came with us on this 'William V'. I think the French people on the dock should have already witnessed his miracle." Charles replied neither obsequiously nor arrogantly.
This governor was so disregardful of etiquette that Charles' initial good impression, brought about by him sending a gift, immediately disappeared by more than half.
"Oh? So he didn't lie, and you really sailed from Pittsburgh to St. Louis in just five days!" The governor was greatly surprised.
He then repeated the old tune with astonishment:
"Can such an ugly ship really sail so fast? This is truly a miracle of civilization!"
Charles didn't know whether to say this governor was straightforward or impolite.
"Your Excellency, may we begin the luncheon to welcome sir Charles Godfrey to Louisiana!" The envoy beside him reminded.
"Well, wait, shall we go and see this ship first?" The fat governor had no noble airs, but spoke to Charles in a consultative tone.
"Of course, Your Excellency. In fact, I also want to promote this kind of steamboat to the shipowners of Louisiana. If it can receive your attention and praise, that will be the honor of this ship." Charles also pretended not to hear the governor's remarks about the ship being ugly; he was very keen on promoting his goods.
Anyway, this guy's performance was like a clown, and perhaps he could easily become his free advertisement.
The governor immediately smiled and happily, accompanied by Charles and the envoy, boarded the "William V" for a tour. However, as Charles boarded the ship with him, he immediately noticed that the governor, who had just been so ugly, was now waddling his at least hundred-pound belly towards the boiler room and the stern, carefully studying the steam engine and the paddle wheel. His small eyes darted around like a mouse, blinking incessantly, afraid of missing any detail.
Charles couldn't help but doubt his own judgment.
This guy isn't trying to steal the shipbuilding secrets of the William V, is he?
—
"Hehe! sir Godfrey, can you make this ship run again for us to see?" After looking around, the governor suddenly made another request.
"Uh... it takes a long time to start this steamboat. Shall we open it for Your Excellency to see next time?" Charles deliberately stroked his stomach, feigning hunger.
Any merchant would be uneasy with such a person whose eyes darted around. Although the steam engine's water was still hot and it wouldn't take long to start, Charles still refused the request for a trial run.
"Oh? It starts slowly, huh... Ah haha, good! Good! Then we'll see it next time, next time!" The governor suddenly burst into laughter, as if completely unconcerned by Charles' refusal. "I have prepared a lavish luncheon at my castle in St. Louis and would like to invite sir Godfrey and that noble lady to attend. May I have that honor?"
"Haha! Your Excellency's invitation, that is our honor!" Charles bowed slightly.
The group descended from the ship once more.
As the governor was about to disembark, he still turned back, seemingly unsatisfied, to look at the William V, and suddenly asked Charles:
"Can this ship be converted into a naval warship?"
"Not yet!" Charles answered subconsciously.
He had already considered this question. When the steam-powered paddle wheel ship first came out, he, William, and other key leaders including Mayor Patrick, had all considered whether it could be used to build warships.
Unfortunately, after research, it was found that with the development of steam engine technology and continuous experimentation, it would certainly be possible in the future, but with the current steam engine technology and no prior testing, it would probably not be possible to build effective steam-powered warships within ten years.
Now, hearing the governor's question, he answered directly.
However, Charles immediately realized that this French governor must have boarded the ship with a purpose. His random looking around just now probably implied an intention to spy on the ship's manufacturing secrets.
In fact, any soldier of this era, upon seeing such a ship that could sail without sails, would first think of whether it could be used for military purposes. And for France, a country that had always wanted to replace the British Navy's top position, such a ship would naturally attract their attention.
This governor must be a very far-sighted person. Even his clown-like demeanor just now might have been only to gain the opportunity to board the ship and see. He probably would have used other words to provoke him if he had refused, and then given him the chance to board. But because he was keen on promoting his goods, even after hearing his words, he still let him go on board directly.
"Sir, sir Godfrey!"
"Uh, what?" Charles found that he was also a little distracted.
"Haha! I wanted to ask, you said this ship cannot be converted into a warship now, does that mean it might be possible to convert it into a warship in the future?" The governor was not at all bothered by Charles' distraction.
With such a direct question, how could Charles not understand the governor's meaning?
A thought stirred within him. Although he didn't know how to build steam-powered warships, he definitely possessed the "most advanced and correct" design and construction concepts for steam-powered warships.
It was unlikely that he would come into conflict with France for a long time, and he didn't mind imparting the manufacturing technology of steam-powered warships to the French. In fact, if France could build such warships to threaten the British Navy, it would be even more in his interest.
Turning to look at the governor, the expression on his face had already returned to the clown-like smile he had when Charles first saw him.
Charles immediately put on a merchant's smile:
"Your Excellency, we are actually already trying to build steam-powered warships, but the experimental results are not satisfactory. Alas, we are merchants, and repeated unsuccessful investments have already led us to consider canceling the plan."
"Oh!" The old fox of a governor immediately put away his clown-like smile, knowing that Charles had recognized his true colors.
"Then, sir, can the manufacturing technology for your type of ship be sold to others?"
"Well, we've only just started building steam-powered ships, and we haven't made much profit yet. But we are merchants, and in business, everything is negotiable." Charles directly expressed his attitude.
"Alright, sir Godfrey, I'll be direct. I want to buy your steam engine ship technology. The transfer price can be negotiated slowly, but do you agree to the transfer directly?"
"Of course I agree, but..."
"It's good that you agree! I will arrange for an officer to discuss it with you. Now, let's hurry to dinner. I've been hungry for half a day because of this broken ship, so let's go!" The governor finished speaking, directly pulled Charles into the carriage, and urged the coachman to drive at full speed towards the castle.
He was a fat and gluttonous man, and in fact, he was already unbearably hungry.
Charles entrusted Greenspan with the negotiations with the governor's officers.
Although that officer was very tough, at the negotiating table, the toughest person is definitely not as good as the smartest person, so the final outcome of the discussion was clearly more favorable to one side, yet both sides were very satisfied.
The two parties decided to cooperate in researching the manufacturing technology of steam-powered warships. The governor, in the name of the French Navy, guaranteed an annual research fund of no less than 100,000 francs (equivalent to 20,000 US dollars at the time). Charles' side would provide at least ten skilled steam-powered ship manufacturing workers and one chief designer.
The steam warships developed through joint research would be jointly owned by both parties. Each party could freely manufacture them, but transferring them to a third party would require the other party's consent.
The conditions were also very simple: the governor agreed to an alliance with Charles' Pittsburgh. This was not an alliance between France and the United States, but an alliance between Louisiana and Charles.
There were many specific agreements, such as free trade, free migration, and the establishment of bank offices, all of which were put into writing. For things not put into writing, Charles did not ask for any technical exchanges or similar things.
In the end, he only requested a special promise: if Charles and his technical workers encountered difficulties in the United States, Louisiana would unconditionally grant Charles political asylum. This was a fallback in case the situation turned unfavorable in the future. Although the possibility of needing it was small, Charles still made this request as a precaution.
Charles was very tactful and did not mention the condition the plump governor had guessed he might bring up, which was for the French Navy to lift the British naval blockade on the United States if it gained the capability in the future. In fact, even if he had brought it up, the governor likely would not have agreed; he neither had the ability nor thought it worthwhile.
Historically, France had once driven the blockading British fleet scurrying, leaving it completely unprotected, but that was only when the main British Navy was absent. Once Britain's large warships (battleships) arrived from the homeland, the French Navy could only retreat. They only reappeared at the final battlefield, the Battle of Charlestown, delivering the decisive blow that forced the British army to surrender.
Although Pittsburgh's industry had begun to develop rapidly, even surpassing Europe in some aspects, its overall level was still far inferior to Europe's. Many technological products still had to rely on Europe.
Once Britain imposed a naval blockade on the U.S. East Coast, many industrial and technological products could not come from Europe. The original industrial chain in America then faced many problems.
Charles wanted to develop Pittsburgh, but relying solely on his industrial capabilities was impossible. This agreement with the governor not only allowed him to utilize the achievements already built in the vast Louisiana region but also enabled him to directly obtain industrial products and technical data from Europe through him.
During the steamboat negotiations, Charles spent several consecutive days accompanying the plump governor, hunting, riding horses, and cruising around on the "William V" for so-called noble socializing.
Now that the negotiations there had concluded and the cooperation was finalized, Charles saw that the governor had not yet initiated discussions on bilateral relations, so he naturally could not hesitate any longer. He decided to bring up the issue himself.
During an afternoon tea, Charles proactively asked the plump governor:
"Your Excellency, governor, the last time I sent that person, who claimed to be an envoy of the 'Duchy of Ohio,' to you, how did you handle him afterwards?"
"Oh! You mean that fellow who claimed to be the envoy of the Duke of Ohio? I directly exiled him to a mine to dig ore for me!" the plump governor said with a hearty laugh.
"Uh, well, Your Excellency, governor. He seems to be from Ohio, right?" Charles somewhat regretted not having inquired about the man's whereabouts before asking.
The governor turned his head to look at Charles, and grinned:
"Yes, he is an Ohioan, and now Ohio is under your rule, sir Charles. I forgot to tell you first, my apologies!"
Seeing the governor's insincere apology, Charles could only grimace:
"It seems Your Excellency, governor, is very displeased with those separatists!"
"No! No!" The governor shook his head vigorously, causing the muscles on his face to tremble continuously. "I don't have a clear stance on separatists. I still sympathize with some poor people (he glanced at Charles as he spoke), but as for those who haven't fully achieved independence yet, but have already established duchies and presumptuously called themselves dukes, I have always advocated for severe punishment! Especially since he was once a subject of our French king. As French expatriates, we also bear responsibility for their absurd actions."
"Haha, what about His Excellency's stance on our United States..."
Just as Charles was about to steer the conversation towards substantive bilateral relations, the plump governor suddenly waved his hand, interrupting Charles.
"By the way! sir Charles's soldiers have now occupied the Ohio area, which was previously controlled by the British army, creating a fait accompli. So, we won't say more about Ohio. However, from France's perspective, we hope sir Charles can effectively manage the residents within his territory and prevent the recurrence of incidents like that 'Duchy of Ohio.' They not only offended your authority but also the dignity of His Majesty king Louis."
Charles truly admired this governor now. He was indeed worthy of being the governor in charge of America's largest colony. His political maneuvering was simply beyond a newcomer like himself. His main advantage over the other party was his foresight and his mastery of various power advantages. No matter how eloquent he was, it would be useless without means. When it came to real political and diplomatic tactics, he was fundamentally no match for professional politicians.
However, even if he didn't have an advantage in tactics and skill, Charles, relying on his ample strength, was still not afraid of this governor.
"Yes, Your Excellency, governor, your suggestion is very reasonable. I was already planning to dispatch Major Sullivan's more than one thousand Western Expeditionary Force to be stationed at Massac to deter the residents of the newly occupied Ohio and prevent them from returning to the British fold," Charles said calmly.
He said it was to prevent residents from returning to the British fold, but there were no British people around, so how could they return? Charles' calm tone clearly made those nearby feel that he did not want Ohio to return to France.
Although Louisiana was relatively large, the French army there was very sparse, only slightly more numerous than the original British army in Ohio. And these armies faced the same problem as the British army: they had to be stationed locally to suppress potential independence movements, making it impossible to concentrate them for action.
Charles' one thousand-strong Western Expeditionary Force had an absolute advantage over the French army in every colonial settlement, so as soon as he declared he would station a large army at Massac, the plump governor's expression visibly changed.
The governor was not worried that Charles would actually dare to attack Louisiana; if it came to a fight, he could have the French army abandon internal suppression and directly confront the Western Expeditionary Force without issue.
However, if Charles' more than one thousand Western Expeditionary Force were stationed right at their doorstep, even without attacking, it would likely re-ignite independence movements in his territory.
The reason why the French army from the mainland did not dare to act lightly, even though the governor knew that the opportunity to reclaim Ohio and strike a heavy blow against Britain was at hand, was precisely because Louisiana itself was not peaceful.
The French were naturally prone to causing trouble and had a revolutionary tradition. After hearing about the American independence movement, many people in Louisiana also stirred up trouble, wanting to emulate it. Fortunately, this governor was capable; with a double dose of military and political force, he "revolutionized" those revolutionaries.
But now, if Charles were to station over a thousand Western Expeditionary Force troops at Louisiana's doorstep, it would certainly re-energize those revolutionaries who had quieted down. At that time, this governor would have no time for anything else; he would only be busy dispatching troops everywhere to suppress them.
"Hehe! sir Charles, you really don't need to station a large army in Ohio. Besides being a drain on manpower and resources, it might not be very effective. The key to managing Ohio isn't the size of the army.
Look, the original British army had more than a thousand troops, but weren't they still divided, surrounded, and defeated one by one by your more than one thousand Western Expeditionary Force? You just need to manage the relationships between the French-descended, British-descended, and natives within the territory, and you can generally ensure no problems arise." The plump governor had no choice but to compromise.
Who told Charles that he had a military advantage? If the battle went poorly, he could take his army back to Pittsburgh. If the situation looked bad for himself, could he really take his people back to New Orleans?
"It's not difficult to manage the relationships between the three. But I'm worried..." Charles glanced at the plump governor, seemingly hesitant to speak, but finally decided to be frank: "I'm just worried that some French-descended residents might want to return to the rule of the French king, to be part of Louisiana. This would inevitably harm the friendship between our two sides."
"Ah! This is indeed a serious problem. I have already received several letters requesting that I accept their return." The plump governor deliberately pondered.
Unfortunately, Charles already understood the old fox's tactics, so he simply drank his tea, pretending not to hear, and refused to be blackmailed.
No matter how cunning the old fox was, when facing a hunter with an absolute advantage, he still had to obediently confess.
"Haha!" The plump governor gave two dry laughs, "sir Charles, rest assured, since we are good friends and allies, I will, in the name of the governor of Louisiana, write to the French-descended residents within Ohio, requesting them to restrain their behavior, abide by laws and regulations, and not resist Pittsburgh's rule under any name related to France."
"Haha! That's good, you really have gone to a lot of trouble, Your Excellency. This way, I can let Sullivan return to Pittsburgh with peace of mind and not station a large army in Massac. After all, stability for everyone allows for mutual assistance and development!" Charles laughed happily.
Hehe, Sullivan has already left Massac, so I guess I'll just happen to meet him when I return to Pittsburgh this time.
"Hahaha, indeed, this is beneficial to both of us, and I will do my best." The plump governor also echoed with laughter, though he did not conceal the helplessness in his eyes.
France seemed powerful, and Louisiana was one of the largest Colonies in America, but ever since France's defeat in the Seven Years war with Britain, losing Canada to Britain, France's dream of a new empire in America had officially ended. Not only did France itself no longer value this Colony, but the Colony's own strength also steadily declined. Now, even a small Pittsburgh could threaten him, the governor.
Charles also noticed the helplessness in the governor's eyes, but he had been tricked rather badly by this old fox, so he dared not believe his expression, still thinking the old fox was faking it to gain sympathy. He quickly recalled their conversation to see if the old fox had played any tricks.
Upon reflection, Charles indeed discovered something else: he had apparently been preparing to discuss bilateral relations between America and France with the old fox, but the topic had long since been diverted by him.
Looking at the empty teapot, Charles knew that discussing bilateral relations today was no longer possible.
Damn old fox, he got me again!
Over the next two days, Charles repeatedly sought opportunities to bring up the issue of bilateral relations. The governor consistently avoided the topic, and when pressed, he finally refused to discuss bilateral cooperation, citing a lack of authorization from his home country.
He also stated that allowing Haitian French army munitions to be transported to the Continental army via the mississippi River was already a significant support to the United States, and any further aid would require domestic authorization and likely political exchange.
Charles was originally a very self-interested person. Hearing that there would be conditions for exchange, he immediately changed his tune, saying that other representatives from the Continental Congress would discuss it, and he would absolutely not be willing to sacrifice his own interests for the benefit of the entire country.
After much back and forth, he managed to secure another support from the governor: sending a small number of retired French officers to Pittsburgh's army as instructors.
Originally, Charles only wanted to gain some benefits for his Pittsburgh. Now that Louisiana's benefits were almost exhausted, he felt his mission was complete. After a lavish dinner hosted by the plump governor, Charles announced that he would return to Pittsburgh.
Just before his departure, the plump governor made a small request, asking if "William V" could tow another boat behind it. He personally had a small boat of goods he intended to sell in Pittsburgh.
The boat was filled with French luxury goods, with no high-tech products. Charles initially didn't want to take it, but the idea of using the steamboat as a tugboat immediately caught his eye. Just for that idea, he would help the plump governor for free.
The Pennsylvania Canal was about to be completed, and Charles had been worried about the output of steam paddle boats, feeling that they could not meet the transportation demands of the canal. But now, with the idea of a tugboat, he immediately thought that in the calm waters of the canal, pulling boats was not strenuous.
Steam paddle boats only needed to change their output power and could be converted into specialized tugboats, just as he often saw on TV before: a powered boat in front emitting smoke, with a long string of transport boats behind it, moving incredibly slowly but steadily forward.
He made up his mind that upon returning, he would convert several steamboats into specialized powered tugboats. As for the other few, they would maintain their original construction method and be used as dedicated passenger ships.