1850 American Gold Tycoon.

Chapter 675 High-quality Allies

“In fact, we have been investing in the American Republic since 1850. We came to Gold Mountain at almost the same time as the British, but the American Republic’s attitude towards us, the French, is much friendlier than that towards the British.

The American Republic and the British have territorial disputes in the north. The British are worried that their rise will threaten the Colombian territory, but we in France do not have this concern.

Not only can we maintain friendly diplomatic relations with the American Republic, but if necessary, we can also consider forming an alliance with it and let them contain Britain's North American colonies, other colonies, and even the British East India Company.

Of course, how to deal with the relationship with the American Republic in the end depends on your Majesty's judgment. "Le Goff spoke eloquently, hoping to facilitate the formal establishment of diplomatic relations between France and the American Republic, or even go a step further and form a direct alliance.

"Your Majesty, the biggest obstacle to France's rise is not Russia, not Prussia, but Britain. The American Republic not only has a direct conflict of interest with the British in North America, but they also have irreconcilable conflicts of interest in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and even Australia." French naval general Tromeran, who was in the same car, also supported Le Goff's proposal.

The French Navy's biggest competitor in overseas colonies was the British Royal Navy, and the French Navy had long been at a disadvantage in its competition with the British Royal Navy.

The head follows the butt. As a naval general, Trommern naturally hopes to have more allies overseas that can contain Britain's naval power, and he also hopes that Napoleon III will invest more resources in naval construction.

There is no doubt that Liang Yao is a rare and high-quality ally. Although France and the American Republic also have conflicts over overseas interests, such as in the second trade war against China, Liang Yao was neutral in name, but actually secretly provided military assistance to his uncle Liang Shaoqiong, causing huge casualties to the French expeditionary force.

For example, there are differences of interest between France and the American Republic on the issues of Borneo Island, Indochina Peninsula, and especially Vietnam.

But these do not touch the core interests of the empire and can be negotiated, at least that's what Tromeran thinks.

"Why do General Tromeran and Ambassador Le Goff avoid the Mexican issue?" Army General Eli Ferdinand-Frey looked at Le Goff and Tromeran with a somewhat unfriendly look, and he emphasized.

"I believe there is a fundamental conflict of interest between France and the American Republic. If they had not used troops against Mexico, Your Majesty would have been able to capture a complete Mexico instead of an incomplete one. I don't believe they didn't want to take over the whole of Mexico."

“That is why, if we want to consolidate the Empire’s rule in Mexico, we must properly handle our diplomatic relations with the American Republic.

As for annexing the whole of Mexico, the top leaders of the American Republic certainly have this idea, but as you said, they have just taken over northern Mexico not long ago, and they haven't even digested it yet. At least for ten years, even if they have this idea, they can't put it into practice." Le Goff hesitated.

Napoleon III knew what Le Goff was going to say next. During this French expedition, the American Republic did not remain neutral, but unexpectedly provided logistical and intelligence support to the French army.

With the strength of the French army, it was not difficult to capture Mexico. Even without the help of the American Republic, the French army could easily win this expedition. The only difference was that the price of victory would be higher.

It is easy to conquer colonies but difficult to defend them. How to maintain rule over Mexico at a relatively low cost will undoubtedly be a test for Napoleon III.

If the relationship with the American Republic could be handled well, it would indeed be of great benefit to France's rule in Mexico in the short term.

"The American Republic will have a large-scale battle with the United States in the near future. Whether the American Republic is worthy of our close friendship will be revealed after this battle." Napoleon III said.

In the evening, Fremont and others held a grand banquet to welcome the French representatives headed by Napoleon III, and Napoleon III was invited to attend the banquet.

However, when it came to the issue of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries, Napoleon III always avoided the issue.

To be precise, Napoleon III was not avoiding the important issue of establishing diplomatic relations between France and the United States, but he wanted to discuss the diplomatic issues between the two countries with Liang Yao face to face.

After all, Liang Yao is the only one who can really make the decision on many core interests of the American Republic. Although Liang Yao is called the president, the power he holds is much greater than that of Lincoln, the president of the United States, and Davis, the president of the Confederacy. Even compared to him, the French emperor, he is not much less. In Nebraska, the heat wave steams up a mirage on the railroad tracks, and the charred pine sleepers are still smoking.

When the head of the engineering corps, Wu Dakun, and his fellow engineers worked together to use crowbars to move the twisted railroad tracks, he vaguely smelled the smell of his beard burning - it was the gunpowder smoke left on his beard from the explosion two hours ago.

Around Wu Dakun, twisted rails and exploded sleepers were scattered on the charred roadbed. Like him, a group of sturdy men in gray engineering coats were wielding crowbars to pry up the deformed rails one section at a time.

Next to the railroad tracks was a blazing furnace, and the engineers, who were former blacksmiths, were hammering the rails with their bare chests.

A tall figure riding a chestnut horse slowly approached, his muddy black boots trembling slightly in the stirrups.

Wu Dakun temporarily stopped the work at hand, wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead, looked up at the cavalry officer, and saw the colonel's epaulettes hanging on the officer's shoulders.

This person is none other than Liang Yeniu, one of the veterans of the Western Army Cavalry, who was born in the Liangzhou Indian Aboriginal tribe. Yeniu is his real name, and as for his surname, they simply took the surname of President Liang in order to gild themselves.

Behind Liang Yeniu were seventy or eighty cavalrymen carrying volcanic stone rapid-fire rifles, escorting more than twenty Northern Army prisoners who had just been captured back to the camp.

Liang Yeniu glanced at the construction progress of the Corps of Engineers, and his face instantly became as gloomy as the Mississippi River in winter. He swept his hawk-like eyes over the mess on the ground and the flurry of engineers, and shouted at Wu Dakun: "Wu Dakun! The Yankees won't wait for you to leisurely hammer out a new railway! General Kruger said that the rails must be able to run trains in seven days - otherwise, you engineers will have to push the trains!"

"What a bullshit! Don't you see that I, the head of the engineering corps, am being used as an engineer?" Wu Dakun said angrily, "The Yankees are so damn wicked! Not only did they blow up the railway, they also blew it up in sections! When we reach Illinois, we will also blow up the Illinois railway into sections and let the Yankee engineers slowly repair it!"

After Mason fled to Omaha, McClellan immediately sent cavalry engineers to destroy the railway.

Although Kruger sent cavalry to protect the railway at the first time and expelled and captured many Union troops who destroyed the railway, the railway from Grand Island to Omaha was too long, a full 240 kilometers long, and it was difficult to defend. There were still hundreds of sections of railway destroyed by the Union Army.

Because the damaged railway sections were very scattered, the engineers of the Engineer Corps had to split into groups to repair the damaged railways.

"It's better to build than to repair! Building a new railway is faster than repairing the existing one." A sergeant who was a railway worker muttered.

Another sergeant with coal dust on his face raised his arm to wipe the sweat from his forehead and said to Liang Yeniu: "Colonel, this job can't be rushed. The rails must be heated red and the seams must be aligned, otherwise our trains will be more dangerous than the Yankees' guns."

Wu Dakun collected a few packs of Hornet brand cigarettes and distributed them to Liang Yeniu: "Big Yeniu, you are an old school officer and you have a say in front of the general. Go back and talk to the general to get some more manpower and two track presses for us."

The so-called old colonels are the colonels from the Western Brigade period. Correspondingly, the new colonels are the military academy students like Wu Dakun who were promoted after the expansion of the army.

Therefore, although Wu Dakun and Liang Yeniu are both colonels, Wu Dakun is more respectful to Liang Yeniu, who has more seniority.

"I will report to General Kruger after I return to the camp, but I'm not sure whether I can get anyone to come. You should prepare for the worst and repair the railway as soon as possible." Liang Yeniu was very pleased. He took a deep puff of the cigarette, turned his horse's head, nodded to the patrolling sentry in the distance, signaling them to continue marching along the railway.

(End of this chapter)