I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 795 Sea Power Is Everything

Although Di Chiayela did not hold out much hope, he still asked, "Do you have any idea to circumvent the British fleet?"

"No, there's no need to go around them." Demville half lowered his head and said, "You know, I used to do business in the UK, but later the strait inspections became too strict, so our captain wanted to try his luck in the Ottoman Empire..."

"Speak the key."

"Oh, yes, General." Demville spoke faster, "We are transiting in the port of Piraeus, where there are abundant supplies."

Di Qiaela frowned: "But it's too far away. It's too late."

The Port of Piraeus is located in the Morea region of Greece, more than 700 nautical miles away from Genoa.

"No, there's still time, General. I heard that Piraeus started using steamships for trade half a year ago," Demville said. "There are many French merchants doing business there."

He took a deep breath: "The most important thing is that the British would never expect that supplies would come from the east."

Di Qiaela and the staff officer looked at each other. They had previously subconsciously thought that the transport ships were slow, but they had forgotten that steam paddle steamers were already used in the Franco-Turkish trade.

It took less than a week to get this thing from the port of Piraeus to Genoa.

The staff officer nodded, then shook his head: "But the cargo capacity of the steam paddle steamer is relatively small, and there is no material prepared in advance."

"This..." Demville took two steps back nervously and whispered, "I really didn't think about this. I'm really sorry. Just treat it as nonsense."

"Wait," Di Chayela raised his hand to signal the staff officer, "There is no other solution at the moment. Send someone to Piraeus. I remember that Baron Memac is running a trading company there. Ask him to think of a solution."

The port of Marseille cannot transport goods, Corsica cannot raise enough supplies in a short period of time, and the main force of the British Mediterranean Fleet is located near the port of Bizerte in Tunisia, so Greece is the only hope.

……

A few days later, the Cape Parrot appeared outside the port of Piraeus.

That afternoon, in a room on the second floor of the Port Management Committee Building, Stelle, the general manager of the French East Mediterranean Trading Company, the newly-crowned Baron Memac, looked at the ship owners in the room and said earnestly:
“That’s basically the situation.

"The Genoese troops needed 4 million pounds of flour, 3 barrels of wine, 5 pounds of gunpowder, as well as a large amount of artillery shells, medicines and other supplies.

"I hope everyone can take on the transportation mission. The remuneration will surely satisfy everyone."

Unfortunately, the East Mediterranean Trading Company's own ships were basically not in port at the time, and the fastest batch would not return for five days, so Steller had to find French private shipowners and plan to hire their steam paddle steamers.

Immediately, several people shook their heads and stood up, preparing to leave: "Baron Maymac, everyone knows that the British fleet is cruising near Genoa. This is too dangerous."

"Yes, if there is no risk, why not ship supplies from Marseilles?"

"And they asked us to advance part of the payment. This is definitely not a good deal."

Most of the funds of the East Mediterranean Trading Company are in Syria and Egypt, after all, those are the main purchasing points, and Styler does not even have enough money to buy the supplies that Dimobin needs.

If he could wait another half a month, no, even ten days, Styler could easily solve these problems, but right now, what he lacked most was time.

"Please wait a moment." Stellar hurriedly stopped several people and said, "I can ensure that you will not encounter the British fleet. As for the cost, the East Mediterranean Trading Company can pay you 25% interest."

"I beg your pardon, Baron Maymarck, but I am afraid I cannot accept the offer."

"Who knows where a British warship might pop up."

"To be honest, the risk is really too great..."

Seeing that several people insisted on leaving, Styler was so anxious that he was sweating profusely, and shouted again: "30% interest, plus the insurance money, please, for God's sake!" However, several people wanted to get up and leave.

Although these ship owners are all French, they are more businessmen.

When the ratio of return to risk is too low, they will not care about patriotism or loyalty to the king.

Just as the door was opened and the ship owners stepped out, a man in his 30s with rough skin and wearing a black coarse cloth coat who had been sitting in the corner stood up and said loudly:
"Baron Maymac, I can lend you my ship and provide you with a shipload of flour."

Immediately, a ship owner who was familiar with him pulled him hard and whispered: "Leon, are you crazy? If you encounter a British warship, you will be destroyed!"

"Thanks, Ferry. But I've made up my mind."

Leon Troc looked at the people who had walked to the door again and said, “You may know that my family has been engaged in shipping business between France and the Far East since my great-grandfather’s generation.

"At the height of my grandfather's glory, the family owned four ships, including the Ocean Current, a three-masted sailing ship that was 4 yards long."

Ferry nodded silently, confirming his statement.

The ship owners stopped and turned to look at Trok. A merchant with four ships was definitely a wealthy family.

Troc sighed and continued, “Then, France lost the Seven Years’ War to the British, and, well, as you all know, we lost all of our Far Eastern trade.

"The 'Ocean Current' was also seized by the British at the Cape of Good Hope, and two years later, my family's business went bankrupt.

"After that, my father went to Naples to help revise nautical charts to support his family, but he soon fell ill and died.

"My mother took my brother and me to make a living by mending fishing nets in Marseille. Her fingers were all rotten when she was 30 years old. My brother and I both had malaria and had no money to buy medicine, so we almost died...

"Fortunately, I was lucky. With the help of a friend of my father, I continued my shipping business and eventually bought a ship."

Someone said impatiently: "I'm sorry. But what do you want to say?"

Trok raised his hand to indicate, “Most of the gentlemen here make their livings from the Mediterranean trade.

"Have you ever thought about what would happen if our army in Genoa was defeated by the Austrians?"

The ship owners looked at each other in confusion.

Trok said solemnly: "What my father experienced will happen to me and you. And our children may not be able to afford medicine and may be on the verge of death!"

"How...how could it be as serious as you say?"

"No, I am not exaggerating at all," Troc said, "After the Genoese army is annihilated, there will be no defense force in southern France.

"By then, the Austrian army will occupy the port of Marseille and cut off France's access to the Mediterranean. North Africa will lose contact with the mainland and will soon surrender to Britain."

He looked at the ship owners with burning eyes: "By then, the Mediterranean trade will be completely monopolized by British merchant ships. You, me, and everyone here will go bankrupt!
“We only have this one chance, believe me, we have to defend Genoa.

"Not for the king, nor for Baron Maymark, but for ourselves, to stop being bullied by the British!"

He stretched out his hand:

"Who wants to go to Genoa with me?

"Send supplies to the French soldiers there so they can teach those Austrian bastards a lesson!"

(End of this chapter)