NOVPUBSeizing the opportunity to loot during a fire isn’t so easy either, especially when it touches upon the strategic security of a nation. President Akillae Para Gomez couldn’t make a decision lightly.
"Sorry, Mr. Nino. If we can’t guarantee the security of the Panama area, we won’t restart the Canal project."
...
No agreement was reached, and Nino left with a furrowed brow. He was certain that President Akillae Para Gomez had been tempted when discussing the loan, but still, the negotiations were rejected.
Indeed, a hundred million Francs of interest-free loans wasn’t the bottom line for the French, just a bait thrown out. Unfortunately, the Colombian Government simply wouldn’t bite.
Leaving the Presidential Palace, Nino got into a luxurious carriage. He instructed the coachman, "To the French Embassy."
His recent experience had made it clear to him that without official intervention, the Colombian Government wouldn’t take risks with them.
Since tasting the sweetness of the Suez Canal, French capitalists had set their sights on canals, and after careful selection, they eventually picked the Panama Canal.
Nino was the executor of the Panama Canal project. He had thought that it would be easy to convince the Colombian Government to restart the Panama Canal during an economic crisis, but he didn’t expect to fail even in obtaining authorization.
Now he had to seek help from the government, and deep down, Nino was reluctant for the French government to get involved because it meant more people would share the cake.
The economic crisis, a disaster for many, was a feast of capital for the very few.
After overindulging at the banquet, one naturally needed to digest. Restricted by limited resources and the public’s frequent protests, France wasn’t really suitable for investments, or to be precise, the returns on investment were too low.
Without the indemnity from the Prussia-France war, French capital was undoubtedly more abundant, and the Usury Empire had emerged.
Loans weren’t just handed out willy-nilly, for example, Russia, known for defaulting, wasn’t dared to be lent to by the French financial world.
High-quality customers were too few, and capital surplus became a common problem for England and France’s financial worlds. The Panama Canal project was undoubtedly an excellent one, with a bright financial future ahead.
French capitalists weren’t a homogenous group; they were already divided into factions. The relationships among them were complicated and intertwined. If the government didn’t intervene, they would monopolize the project.
Now that they needed the government’s intervention, it meant that the domestic nobility, and even the Royal family’s capital, would participate, leaving everyone with a smaller share of the profits.
Nino was well aware that the chances of monopolizing such a large project were very slim, and they would definitely need the French government’s protection in the future.
It was similar to entrepreneurship, where those who first entered the project received original shares, while later capital was considered fundraising.
The former only had to invest a small amount of capital to get many shares, while the latter had to consider paying a premium to get shares.
Without a doubt, obtaining the canal authorization was the company’s first appreciation. Before that, the empty canal company was just a shell.
...
French Ambassador Tom: "Mr. Nino, your plan is too far-fetched. You simply do not understand Colombia. The country’s political situation is extremely unstable.
Perhaps you reach an agreement with them today, and tomorrow there is a new government. I have been here for three years, and in Bogota alone, there have been thirteen coups, with three successes and ten failures.
According to Colombian history, I’ve done some calculations. From 1830 to the present, they have had thirty-one presidents, with an average government tenure of less than a year and a half."
Nino shook his head, "Your Excellency the Envoy, changes in the Colombian government have nothing to do with us, surely they wouldn’t dare to deny a contract we signed, would they?"
Nino had no interest in the volatility of Colombia. At this time, most South American countries were not very stable, but no matter how the government changed, no one dared to touch the interests of the great powers.
In his view, it was nothing more than Tom’s attempt to boost his own importance, to prove his relevance, and to grab a share of the benefits.
French Ambassador Tom frowned, "Mr. Nino, it’s not as simple as you think. Perhaps they wouldn’t dare deny a predecessor’s contract, but they could render the contents of the contract null and void.
Without the cooperation of local forces, are you certain the Panama Canal can operate smoothly? Don’t forget how many laborers were used for the Suez Canal.
If you hire from outside, how much more would it cost? You should understand by comparison.
Moreover, the biggest problem isn’t the Colombian Government, but the Austrians.
In recent years, Austria has been infiltrating the Colombian region, especially the Panama area, where half the people are of German descent.
France might be able to intimidate the Colombian Government, but not the Austrians. If you can’t handle these issues, by the time you complete the canal, they will come out to pick the fruits of your labor.
All they need to do is stage a coup, and the Panama area could become an Austrian colony.
By then, with your canal on Austrian territory, are you certain you can maintain control?"
Nino’s face turned pale, for if the canal were to open up on Austrian territory, not to mention control, it was questionable whether he could even recoup the investment costs.
After a moment’s pause, Nino recovered and asked, "Austria has such a big influence here, why hasn’t the Colombian Government acted?"
French Ambassador Tom shook his head, "It’s not that the Colombian Government hasn’t acted, but those who have acted have been overthrown."
"Now within the Republic of Colombia, many military factions are funded by Austria, and the government would be immediately overthrown should it dare to make a wrongful move,"
It wasn’t just Austria supporting its underlings; France had its own spokespersons as well. However, due to their proximity to the Austrian Central American Colony, they held a dominant position thanks to geographical advantage.
The word "cooperation" flashed through Nino’s mind and disappeared. It was infeasible; Austria’s influence in the area was too strong. If they attempted cooperation, they wouldn’t end up with control of the canal.
Behind the scenes, the financial capital sought not only a canal but also the benefits it would bring.
Gaining control over this Golden Waterway meant controlling the economic lifeline of most of America. French capital could then extend its reach into various industries through this canal hub.
Anyone who dared to refuse their investment, would just have to wait for some retaliation. Just a simple obstruction at the canal could drive someone to despair.
Especially for shipping companies, those operating Pacific routes had no chance of resisting.
The French financial sector was playing a big game of chess; if the plan succeeded, they would control the economic lifelines of several American countries.
After a moment of hesitation, Nino promised, "Your Excellency, Envoy, what can be done to resolve our current issue?
Rest assured, we wouldn’t let a friend suffer a loss. There will definitely be a generous reward once the deal is done. We’ve always believed that Your Excellency has the potential to become the French Foreign Minister."
This was a blatant temptation, offering not only money but also support to become the Foreign Minister.
Of course, the latter was merely an empty promise. The capital backing Nino was significant, but not so powerful as to control the appointment of government Foreign Ministers.
So-called support was nothing more than assistance with creating a favorable public sentiment, boosting the chances of success slightly.
Tom’s heart leaped with joy, but he quickly realized that while the offer was rich, the task at hand was not easy. He spoke honestly,
"Mr. Nino, to ensure the smooth progress of the canal project, it’s best to involve the Austrians. Relying solely on our strength, it is very difficult to accomplish this task.
Of course, finding other partners is also an option. If the British are willing to fully commit, a joint effort by both our countries could also fulfill the plan, although it would come at a greater cost."
Upon hearing this response, Nino frowned, his expression turning sour in an instant.
France’s power in America was insufficient to compete against these two rivals.
Whether in collaboration with Austria or the United Kingdom in developing the canal, the control would not be in their hands.
Without control, having only a share in the canal profits, though the returns would be decent, was not worth their considerable efforts.
After a silent pause, Nino said, "Your Excellency, as the matter is of grave importance, I must report back to my country. For now, let’s put aside the joint development of the canal.
What we need is your help to quickly secure canal development authorization from the Colombian Government."
"No problem. Cooperating with corporations abroad to secure France’s greatest interest is precisely my duty," replied Tom, the French Ambassador.
...
Leaving the embassy, Nino felt even more conflicted. Given the current situation, the original plan seemed unattainable, and a partner to share the burden had to be found.
The most suitable, England and Austria, were promptly excluded, leaving few options for collaboration.
Spain could be considered one; their influence in the Caribbean Sea was not insignificant. However, the Spaniards had declined. A French-Spanish alliance might not even be enough to deter Austria.
Moreover, there was political impact to consider. Should France and Spain join forces, countries across Europe would feel threatened, with the British likely being the first to react.
The government would not risk bringing England and Austria closer together by promoting the Panama Canal plan without the support of the Paris Government; without it, the plan had no chance of success.
Beyond that, the other countries with significant influence in America were only the United States of America and the Confederate States of America.
If these two nations could be brought on board, the plan might be feasible. However, it was impossible.
Today, the enmity between the Confederacy and the Union ran deep. If the governments of both dared to cooperate, they would be branded as National Traitors at home.
In international affairs, whatever the Union supported, the Confederacy opposed, and vice versa.
For the sake of political correctness, both sides opposed simply to be oppositional. Aligning with one would mean opposing the other.
This was exactly what England, France, and Austria collectively desired—a North-South government standoff prompted partly by their secret manipulations.
Moreover, neither would be foolish enough to agree without sufficient benefits. Without enough to gain, joining was out of the question.
Undoubtedly, the Canal Company would have to provide these benefits, inevitably resulting in diluted shares.
This percentage would not be insignificant; they might even have to cede some control. Essentially, the Panama Canal project was intended to fleece the American Countries.
The more Nino thought about it, the more he felt a headache coming on. Considering the current situation, obtaining control over the Panama Canal seemed too difficult.
