Chapter 637: Dominance
Chapter 623 Dominance
It wasn’t so easy to take advantage of the situation, and with the strategic security of the country involved, President Argileo Parra Gomez didn’t dare to make a decision easily.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Nino. We won’t restart the canal program if we can’t guarantee the security of the Panama region.”
……
No agreement was reached and Nino left with a frown. He could be sure that President Argileo Parra Gomez had moved during the loan negotiations, but still refused to negotiate.
That’s right, an interest-free loan of 100 million francs was not the bottom line for the French, it was just bait thrown out. Unfortunately the Colombian government simply wouldn’t take the bait.
Out of the presidential palace, Nino got into a luxurious carriage. Instructing the coachman, he said, “Go to the French Embassy.”
The experience just now had already told him that the Colombian government would not accompany them on their adventure without official intervention.
Since tasting the sweetness of the Suez Canal, the French capitalist community had taken a liking to the canal, and after careful selection had finally picked the Panama Canal.
Nino was the executor of the Panama Canal plan. Originally he thought it would be easy to convince the Colombian government to restart the Panama Canal in a time of economic crisis, but he didn’t expect to even get authorization.
Now he had to turn to the government, and in his heart of hearts Nino was unwilling to let the French government get involved, which meant that there were more people to share the cake.
The outbreak of the economic crisis is a disaster for many people, but for a very few people, it is also a capital feast.
It’s natural to need to digest the feast when you’ve had your fill of it. Due to the lack of resources, and the people’s marches every now and then, France is not suitable for investment, or the return on investment is too low.
Without the reparations from the Franco-Prussian War, France was undoubtedly better capitalized, and the usury empire had emerged.
Loans were not issued indiscriminately, just as the Russian kind, for example, who dared to renege on their debts, the French financial community did not dare to lend them money.
There were too few quality customers, and overcapitalization became a common problem in the British and French financial worlds. Panama Canal program is undoubtedly a good project, the future of the “money” is bright.
French capitalists are not united and have long been divided into factions. Inside the relationship is complicated, if the government does not intervene, they will monopolize the project.
Now need the French government to intervene, then means that the domestic big nobles, even the royal family capital will also be involved, we share the benefits will be less.
Nino knows very well that the possibility of this kind of big project being monopolized is very small, and in the future, the French government will definitely be needed to protect the project.
This is similar to entrepreneurship, the first to enter the project to take the original shares, the back of the capital into the financing.
The former only need to invest a small amount of capital, will be able to get a large number of shares, the latter want to get shares, you must consider the premium.
There is no doubt that getting the canal authorization is the first appreciation of the enterprise. Before that, this empty-headed canal company, is an empty shell.
……
French Minister Tom: “Mr. Nino, your plan is too whimsical. You know absolutely nothing about Colombia, a country with a very unstable political situation.
Maybe you make a deal with them today and change the government tomorrow. In the three years I’ve been here, there have been thirteen coups d’état in Bogotá alone, three successes and ten failures.
Based on the history of Colombia, I’ve kept a tally. From 1830 to now, they’ve had thirty-one changes of president, with an average of less than a year and a half per government.”
Nino shook his head, “Your Excellency the Minister, Colombia’s change of government has nothing to do with us, do they still dare to deny the contract they signed with us?”
Nino was not interested in caring about the turbulent situation in Colombia. In this year, the situation in most of the South American countries was not very stable, but no matter how the government changed, no one dared to touch the interests of the Great Powers.
In his opinion, it was nothing more than Tom raising himself up, proving his importance and wanting a share of the benefits.
French Minister Tom frowned: ”Mr. Nino, it’s not as simple as you think, maybe they don’t dare to deny their predecessor’s contract, but they can make what’s on the contract null and void.
Are you sure that the Panama Canal can be navigated smoothly without the cooperation of the groundhogs? Don’t forget the Suez Canal and how much labor was used.
To hire from outside, how much it would add to the cost, think than you should understand.
Besides, the biggest problem is not the Colombian government, but the Austrians.
In recent years, Austria has been infiltrating the Colombian region, especially the Panama region, where half of the local population is of German descent.
France can deter the Colombian government, but not the Austrians. If you can’t deal with these problems, when you dig the canal through, people will jump out and pick the peach.
All it would take is to orchestrate a coup and the Panama region would become an Austrian colony.
By then, with your canal, are you sure you’ll be able to retain dominance in the Austrians’ territory?”
Nino’s face changed drastically, if he really opened the canal on top of the Austrian’s colony, not to mention the dominant right, whether he could recover the investment cost was a problem.
After a moment’s pause, Nino only came to his senses and asked: “Austria’s power here is so big, why don’t we see the Colombian government take action?”
French Minister Tom shook his head, “It’s not that the Colombian government didn’t take action, but the governments that did were overthrown.
Now within the Republic of Colombia, multiple warlord forces have been funded by Austria, and the government will immediately be ousted if it dares to act.”
Not only Austria is supporting the little brother, France is likewise supported with spokesmen, except that the Austrian Central American colonies are too close and dominate by virtue of distance.
The word “cooperation” flashed through Nino’s mind. There is no way, Austria in the local power is too big, if the cooperation, the canal dominance will not fall into their hands.
Behind the scenes of the financial capital, want more than just a canal, more or the canal brought behind the interests.
Control of this golden waterway, mastered the economic lifeline of half of the Americas. By then the French capital can be through the canal hub, the tentacles deep into many industries.
Who dares to refuse their investment, just wait to be worn shoes! In the canal casually card, can be crushing.
Especially for shipping companies, as long as they operate the Pacific route, there is no room for resistance.
The French financial world is playing a big game, and if the plan succeeds, they’ll be in control of the economic lifelines of several countries in the Americas.
After hesitating for a moment’s effort, Nino promised, “Your Excellency the Minister, what is the solution to our immediate problem?
Don’t worry, we will not let our friends suffer. There will definitely be a generous reward after this is accomplished. We have always believed that Your Excellency has the potential to become the French Foreign Minister.”
This was a blatant temptation, not only giving money, but also willing to support him to become the Foreign Minister.
Of course, the latter was just an empty check. The capital power behind Nino was indeed not small, but it was not to the point of being able to sway the government’s foreign minister appointment.
The so-called support was nothing more than being able to help build momentum and increase the success rate a bit.
Tom’s heart was happy, and then reacted, the return is rich, but this thing is not good, when the truth:
“Mr. Nino, want the canal plan to go smoothly, it is best to pull the Austrians together, with our own strength, it is difficult to complete this task.
Of course, looking for other partners can also. If the British are willing to give their full strength, our two countries join hands, it is also possible to complete the plan, just need to pay the price will be greater.”
Hearing this answer, Nino frowned and his face instantly became ugly.
France did not have enough power in the Americas to compete with these two rivals.
Whether it was a joint development of the canal with Austria or with the British, the dominant power would not be in their hands.
Can not get the dominant right, just the canal revenue dividends, although the rate of return is also good, but still not worth their trouble.
After a moment of silence, Nino: “Your Excellency, Minister, I must report to the country, the cooperative development of the matter is temporarily put on hold.
Now we need your help to take the canal development authorization from the Colombian government in the shortest possible time.”
“No problem, cooperating with corporate actions overseas and seizing the maximum benefits for France is my duty in itself.” French Minister Tom replied
……
Leaving the embassy, Nino’s mood became more complicated. From the current situation, the original plan could not be realized, and now it was necessary to find a collaborator to share the pressure.
The most suitable England and Austria were the first to be ruled out, leaving few options for cooperation.
Spain barely counts one, they are not small in the Caribbean power, but unfortunately the Spanish have fallen. France and Spain together may not be able to deter Austria.
Moreover, there are political implications to consider. France and Spain stood together, all European countries will feel panic, the first to resist is afraid that the British.
The government is not likely to risk the British and Austrians close, run to promote the Panama Canal program, without the support of the government of Paris, this plan does not have half the possibility of success.
Otherwise, the only countries with more influence in the Americas were the United States of America and the Confederate States of America.
If these two countries could be brought on board, it seemed that the plan could also be accomplished. However, this was impossible.
To this day, the feud between the United States of America and the Confederate States of America was as deep as the sea. If the two governments dared to join forces, the country would have to execute the country’s traitors.
Internationally, whatever the United States supports, the Union opposes; conversely, whatever the Union supports, the United States opposes.
For the sake of political correctness, both sides oppose for the sake of opposing. To join one means to be on the opposite side of the fence from the other.
This was what Britain, France, and Austria jointly needed; the governments of the North and South were opposed to each other, and in addition to their hatred, there was a secret push from all three countries.
Besides, people are not fools, they will join if you ask them to. Without sufficient benefits, don’t even think about it.
There is no doubt that all these benefits need to come out of the canal company, and it is inevitable that the shares will be diluted.
This proportion will not be low, and even need to give up part of the dominant power. Essentially the Panama Canal program is designed to shear wool from the Americas.
The more he thought about it, the more Nino felt a headache. According to the current situation, they want to get the dominant rights of the Panama Canal is too difficult.
(End of chapter)