**Chapter 75**
**The Central Bank and the Navy (2)**
November 1835, Kansas, United States.
“Is it okay to sell us iron weapons like this?”
“Why? Are you going to fight our Mexican Empire again?”
The Mexican Empire merchant said with a relaxed attitude.
“That’s not it, but… *ahem*, it was a good deal.”
“Then let’s see each other again next time.”
Although they didn’t sign a contract and only agreed not to cross the border, the Mexican Empire kept its promise.
The Comanche tribe, who had solved their urgent food problem, quickly adapted to the environment of Kansas, which was similar to their homeland.
Kansas had vast plains with almost nonexistent low hills. It had beautiful natural scenery and a high sky.
They had to compete with other indigenous tribes and Americans, but there were also huge buffalo herds.
That wasn’t all.
“It seems we did well coming north.”
“Yes. These guys are so lax about defending against raids.”
“*Hehehe*, good for us. I wish we had all come.”
There were several tribes in the United States, such as the Arapaho tribe, who were nomadic like the Comanche, but their size and capabilities were no match for the Comanche.
“We’re also increasing our size.”
“We have to. The Americans will soon become aware of us and eventually we’ll have to fight.”
Their defeat by the Mexican Empire had shocked them greatly. They continued to hunt buffalo and raid like before, but they also began to conquer and absorb other indigenous tribes, which soon became a nightmare for the Americans in Kansas.
The United States, which was keeping a close eye on the movements of the indigenous people, quickly noticed this.
“…17,000 nomadic natives? Where in the world did they come from?”
“It seems they came over from Mexico.”
“Mexico? It wasn’t long ago that we signed an agreement on the migration of indigenous people. How could this happen?”
It didn’t take long for this information, which the local authorities had found out, to reach the US central government.
“The settlements in Kansas are being ravaged. Shouldn’t we protest to Mexico?”
“It’s not like Mexico controls the natives. Would protesting be of any use?”
President Jackson said that in response to the aide’s suggestion to protest.
“Still, wouldn’t it be good to get some information on how it happened?”
“Well, that’s true. Then let’s protest to Mexico.”
“Yes.”
The US protest was soon delivered to the Mexican Empire, but the Mexican Empire’s response was that they couldn’t help it.
“We can’t just let the Indians who constantly raid our Mexican Empire go unpunished, can we? We sent troops to attack them once, and they were so scared they crossed over to the north.”
“Couldn’t you stop them from coming over?”
“How can you stop everyone from fleeing on horseback in a flatland?”
“…I understand.”
As the Mexican Empire diplomat said, it was unavoidable.
“They’re not formidable, so I think you can just mobilize the US army to wipe them out and send them back to our Mexican Empire according to the ‘Indigenous Migration Agreement’.”
The Mexican Empire diplomat said that nonchalantly, but it wasn’t trivial to Anthony Butler. The Comanche tribe, barbarians, were taking over all of Kansas. But he couldn’t say anything weak.
“I understand. Then.”
Anthony Butler had no choice but to report it to the US government in a toned-down manner.
***
After requesting several pro-Emperor newspapers to publish articles on the Central Bank and Navy bonds, he visited the shipyard in Veracruz, which was said to be completed.
“Erixen, you look good.”
John Erixen, a Swedish engineer, had settled in the Mexican Empire with his family a few months ago after settling his assets in England.
He answered in slightly awkward Spanish.
“It’s thanks to your Majesty’s concern.”
“Oh, you’ve learned a lot of Spanish in just a few months. Well done. How is the shipyard doing?”
The docks, which were empty when I showed them to Erixen before, were now packed with all kinds of equipment I had prepared.
*Pshhh-*
Various equipment using steam power was operating, emitting steam, and hundreds of workers, including shipbuilding technicians brought from Spain, were busy building warships.
“It’s the shipyard’s first ship, so we’re going through some trial and error, but the prepared environment is so good that it’s progressing faster than I expected. However, there is a problem.”
“Problem? …Are you talking about that?”
What I pointed to was the small and medium-sized dock. It was filled with various equipment like the large dock, but no work was being done.
“Yes, Your Majesty ordered us to start construction work by investing the remaining naval budget, but even that’s not enough, so we’re only working on the large dock. This is the one that takes the longest.”
“Well, it seems the financial issue is serious.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I’ll solve it soon, so focus on the warship you’re making now.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. The Spanish shipbuilding technicians are incredibly skilled and enthusiastic. They even participated directly in the construction of the shipyard and waited for its completion. Especially the ship-of-the-line being built in the wooden ship dock is being built at an incredibly fast pace.”
“Oh, is that so.”
That’s possible. Didn’t they just sit around for four years after being brought from Spain? They even asked me directly to start working quickly.
‘As expected, bringing in those with skills is the fastest way.’
The Mexican Empire’s shipbuilding technology, which had no foundation and would have required decades of trial and error, had instantly reached Spanish levels.
Of the three large docks, one is for wooden ships and two are for steam ships. Erixen had expressed concern about building two steam warships as an early project, suggesting that it would be better to build two ships of the line, but I pushed through with my idea.
It was because I liked the design he showed me, which he said he had been preparing for a long time. It was a version that had been revised and improved after consultation with Spanish shipbuilding technicians.
My initial idea for an early steam-powered warship was to simply attach steam power to an existing wooden ship. But Erixen’s opinion was different.
A few months ago, Erixen came to me in Mexico City, where I was preparing to conquer the Comanches, and said.
“Your Majesty, attaching only steam power to a wooden ship cannot be called a steam warship. If you’re attaching steam power, you need to incorporate a design that can utilize it.”
The design he pulled out as he said that was a ‘ironclad’, a wooden ship with iron armor added to it.
“…It’ll cost a lot, but the defense will be amazing.”
“Yes, I heard that the large ironworks you own are very cost-effective.”
“Locke must have told you.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Hmm, the idea of adding iron armor is good. It doesn’t seem impossible to achieve technologically either. But if we’re going to build an ironclad like this, wouldn’t it be good to make the cannons larger? We can reduce the number of cannons instead.”
I don’t know much about warships, but I know that ships of the line, which were the mainstream warships, had dozens or even over 100 cannons, and they evolved to the point where they only had one or two large-caliber cannons.
I guess it’s because as the era of ironclads arrived, the defense of warships increased, making small-caliber cannons meaningless.
“That’s definitely true. The risk of damaging the wooden ship is the reason why we can’t mount large-caliber cannons, but if we add iron armor, we can withstand the weight and recoil of large-caliber cannons. …You’re amazing, Your Majesty.”
He convinced himself with his own logic and praised me for being amazing.
‘…Well, as long as we go in the right direction, that’s all that matters.’
A few weeks later, the revised design he brought back was right up my alley. It was an ironclad with a revolving turret.
“I thought about applying the idea you mentioned, Your Majesty, and I thought there was no other way but this. It might look a bit complicated if you look at it…”
Erixen was anxious about bringing a completely new type of warship design and tried to explain it to me in detail, but I cut him off.
‘As expected, inventions mostly have a necessity for their development direction.’
“No, let’s proceed with this. I like it very much.”
I said that and left to conquer the Comanches. And now, after the shipyard was completed, the ship I designed back then was being built.
“Is the construction of the ‘Monitor’ going well according to the design?”
“Yes, we’re having trouble making the revolving turret, but it seems possible.”
The key elements of this warship he explained were the revolving turret, high-performance steam engine, and iron armor.
Each one is a difficult technological challenge, but it’s not impossible.
Erixen consulted with Joseph Locke of Locke Precision Machinery and James Neilson of Estrada Steel, and they concluded that it was possible, although there would be some trial and error.
It was a result made possible by the consistent investment in ironworks, precision machinery, and steam engines over the past few years.
I too initially thought that building a new type of warship was a risky choice, but those who lag behind must take risks if they don’t want to fall behind forever.
I believe it will be possible with the know-how of the first-class shipbuilding technicians brought from Spain, John Erixen’s enthusiasm and skills, and the technology fields that have been consistently invested in.
‘Even if it fails, it’s not a big deal. We’ll gain know-how while building it, and one ship of the line will be completed.’
Thinking that, I answered Erixen.
“Don’t worry about its practicality. I can confidently say it will be good.”
I encouraged Erixen and the shipyard workers and returned to Mexico City.
***
A few days later, articles about the Central Bank and Navy bonds came out.
Most citizens weren’t very interested in the functions of the Central Bank, such as issuing and managing currency, implementing monetary policy, acting as the government’s fiscal agent, and responding to financial crises.
They were more interested in the bonds that the Central Bank had announced would be issued once it was established, because the newspaper explained in detail how they would receive interest if they bought these bonds.
“The government wouldn’t cheat us, would they? You’re an idiot if you don’t buy this. Where is there anyone who doesn’t have 100 pesos these days?”
Recently, the daily wages of construction workers and urban laborers have been 1.2 to 1.3 pesos. Most of it goes to living expenses, but those who save a little bit have around 100 pesos.
And the same goes for the self-sufficient farmers in the frontier settlements. The railway and Rios Express services allowed them to sell agricultural products at reasonable prices.
“Exactly. If you deposit it in a bank, you’ll get charged a storage fee instead of interest.”
“But it says here that the bill for the establishment of the Central Bank was rejected? Then it’s meaningless.”
“…Right? Oh well.”
Under the Crown’s active investment, pro-Emperor newspapers began to advance beyond the core cities of the Mexican Highlands, including Mexico City, and along the railway to new areas.
Recently, the railway has been extended to California, Texas, the Yucatan Peninsula, and Central America, and residents of cities and settlements in these areas have been able to receive newspapers.
The fact that the articles about the Central Bank and bonds were receiving a great response from citizens was soon conveyed to the landowners and Republican members of parliament.
“Using newspapers, it must be the Crown Prince’s scheme.”
Rafael, the chairman, brought up the topic. He had switched from the Republican Party to the Landowner Party, but his position as Speaker of Parliament was solid even within the Landowner Party.
“I think so too. He’s planning to use next year’s election.”
A Landowner Party member replied.
There were only three months left until the election in February 1836.
“We need to respond quickly. Let’s publish counter-articles on our side. We’ll inform people about the various drawbacks of the Central Bank and the fact that it’s being abolished in the United States recently.”
Voting rights in the Mexican Empire are granted only to men who own property. This was decided when the constitution was drafted and detailed bills were passed after independence.
Even the Republicans were negative about universal suffrage, and the conservatives at the time were negative about elections themselves, but if they had to have them, they argued that only landed male landowners should have voting rights.
This was a method used in England at the time, where only men who owned freehold land worth at least 40 shillings a year were granted the right to vote in county elections.
Augustin I, following the Crown Prince’s advice, pushed for voting rights based on property rather than land, but the problem is that the property standard is not high.
“That’s a good idea. We can’t ignore the opinions of workers these days.”
At the beginning of independence, there were tenant farmers, not landowners or churches, and tenant farmers were doing their best to make ends meet and avoid debt.
Apart from those two classes, there were only a few who had accumulated money through commerce. But the Crown Prince’s leadership in industrialization and northern development has created urban workers and self-sufficient farmers, some of whom have been able to acquire voting rights by diligently saving money. The political landscape has completely changed.
The Landowner Party viewed this situation negatively, while the Republican Party viewed it positively, but they both agreed on this issue.
“We need to somehow turn public opinion around before the election.”
Otherwise, we will pay the price in the election.
The Landowner Party and the Republican Party began preparations to spread counter-articles nationwide.
OMG! This is fire
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