I was the Founding Father of the United States

Chapter 120 North American West Corporation

Chapter 120 North American West Corporation

Now that they had become friends, Chen Wenbin naturally took out a bottle of Mafia pills that he had prepared. Prince Conte did not hesitate and immediately took one.

A few minutes later, he felt his whole body relax, as if a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders, and the pain in his toes and knees gradually lessened.

"This is wonderful! Dr. Robin! God! Why didn't I eat it sooner—"

He spoke excitedly, and was about to pick up the medicine bottle to take another pill, but Chen Wenbin stopped him by reaching out.

"—You can only take one pill every six hours, otherwise it will be harmful to your body, and it will gradually destroy your willpower. You must stop taking it once the pain and symptoms subside.—I am a doctor, listen to me!"

"----All right!"

Upon hearing this, Prince Conte had no choice but to carefully put down the medicine bottle and nod in agreement.

Chen Wenbin's attitude impressed him; he felt that a responsible doctor should act like this.

The group then chatted while smoking the Cuban cigars that Chen Wenbin had brought.

Chen Wenbin, Prince Conte, and Countess Buffle were mainly chatting about their experiences in North America and gossip in Europe. Franklin didn't want to say much, and D'Alembert couldn't get a word in edgewise.

Not long after, Chen Wenbin brought up the business of growing cotton in North America and began to promote real estate projects in New Orleans and cotton plantation businesses on the west bank of the Mississippi River to Prince Conte.

New Orleans————

Looking at the handsome man opposite him, who was so striking it inspired envy, Prince Conte pondered for a moment and asked, "Robin, I heard you founded your own Mississippi company called the Southern Development Company—is that right?"

"No!"

Chen Wenbin immediately put down his cigar and solemnly corrected him: "Southern Development Company is not my sole proprietorship. It does not publicly sell shares, nor does it have the right to issue paper money. It is just an ordinary agricultural and real estate development company."

Why did he deny it so vehemently?

Because this Mississippi company is a painful lesson that makes all French people grit their teeth when they think about it!

In short, around the same time as the British South Sea Company, France also faced a severe financial crisis in the first two decades of the seventeenth century due to the thirteen-year War of the Spanish Succession.

In 1717, the Duke of Orléans, then regent of France, appointed the Scotsman John Law to establish the Bank of France, granting it the right to issue banknotes and tasking him with reforming France's finances and currency.

John Law, emulating the British South Sea Company, acquired the French Mississippi Company. He attracted social capital by exaggerating the gold mining prospects of the North American colonies and by exchanging national debt for stock, selling and speculating on the company's stock, thus alleviating France's financial pressure.

However, he played too aggressively. The South Sea Company of Britain only engaged in stock speculation and did not have the right to issue paper money. The right to issue paper money was always in the hands of the Bank of England, but the Mississippi Company and the Bank of France were almost one entity!

Undoubtedly, once a company possesses the right to issue stocks and the monopoly power of state policy, the profits it generates are astronomical.

The entire French upper class was captivated by the enormous profits generated by stock speculation and the rampant issuance of paper money. The ever-rising stock price of the Mississippi Company, coupled with the right to issue paper money and the credit backing of the King, plunged the whole of France into a speculative frenzy.

As a result, the company's stock price rose rapidly from 500 livres in May 1719 to 10000 livres in 1720, before plummeting by 5 percent due to fabricated news about the gold mine!

Subsequently, the Mississippi Company declared bankruptcy, John Law fled abroad, the Royal Bank of France went bankrupt, France abolished paper money, and the wealth of countless French people vanished overnight!

This move not only failed to resolve France's fiscal crisis, but also led to the withdrawal of paper money from France, further shrinking the French government's financing capacity and keeping the interest rate on French government bonds high ever since.

Unlike France, the South Sea Bubble in Britain was ultimately bailouted by the British government and the Bank of England, and did not damage Britain's credit. It only caused some British people to lose their wealth (such as Sir Richard Bull), so the interest rate on British government bonds remained low for a long time afterward.

It was precisely because Britain could raise large amounts of cheap funds from the financial market at interest rates twice as low as France's to fund its military operations that it had a continuous supply of money and resources to sustain the war and aid its ally Prussia during the Seven Years' War, ultimately enabling it to wear down France and win the war.

Of course, this also led to the UK's current national debt reaching £1.4 million, forcing it to plunder North America to fill the deficit, and then North America gained independence.

Therefore, it can be seen that war and politics are the visible lines of national development, while finance and economy are the fundamental factors that determine the rise and fall of a nation.

Seeing that Chen Wenbin didn't want to get involved with the Mississippi Company, Conte said calmly, "Robin, then why don't you let me invest in your company, but instead want me to invest in New Orleans and the west bank of the Mississippi River?"

Chen Wenbin had already guessed that he would ask this question, and frankly said, "Because the Southern Development Company is a British company, and the company's main investment destination is the British colonies in North America, while you are a French prince—"

He shrugged and explained, "Twenty percent of the Southern Development Corporation's investment comes from the British Royal Family. I cannot accept you as a shareholder of the Southern Development Corporation until the Royal Family's attitude is certain."

However, we could establish a Western North American company to develop agriculture and mining in New Orleans and the western part of North America, which nominally belongs to Spain, but the Spanish royal family comes from the Bourbon family, doesn't it?"

The current King Juan Carlos III of Spain is indeed from the Bourbon family and is a descendant of Louis XIV, so the relationship between the French and Spanish royal families has always been very close.

During the Seven Years' War, the two countries fought side by side, but both were defeated. Spain lost East and West Florida to England, forcing Louis XV to secretly transfer New Orleans and the colonies west of the Mississippi River to Spain to make up for the loss.

Prince Conte nodded slightly; he understood Chen Wenbin's meaning—with Spain's current national strength, it was simply unable to develop the vast land west of the Mississippi River, so a large number of blank areas were actually left there.

Chen Wenbin set his sights on this gap, wanting to leverage his influence and that of the French royal family to operate a port and plantation there—an opportunity for France as well.

An opportunity to re-engage with the North American continent!

Even if it doesn't make money, it's still a good thing to take the opportunity to send some French immigrants to North America!

After signing the Treaty of Paris, France withdrew from North America, so now it has nothing left to lose. As long as it can cause trouble for Britain, it is willing to pay compensation!

The only question is, what exactly is the purpose of this British baron and the miracle doctor in front of us?

Is it really as simple as just opening up plantations to grow cotton?

"—My dear Robin!"

Prince Conte put on a friendly smile and said, "My friend! You are a baron-de-vie in England. Won't there be any problems cooperating with me? I mean, how will you explain this to King George?"

"explain?"

Chen Wenbin understood what he meant, and pretended to be surprised, saying, "This is just normal business. New Orleans and the west bank of the Mississippi River are not British territory, but Spanish territory, aren't they?"

"I just want your investment so I can recruit some immigrants in France to start cotton plantations in New Orleans. Is there a problem with that?"

Prince Conte stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly shook his head and smiled.

Regardless of Chen Wenbin's motives, as long as it could lead to the resurgence of French immigrants in North America and restore France's influence there, he decided to support it!

So he said, "————Of course, that's no problem!"

Alright! I'll write to Carlos III and ask Madrid to take care of this company—now, let's talk about the investment percentage and amount!

Also, how many people do you plan to recruit in France?

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