People of this era did not know about the Suez Canal. This canal, built by egyptians at a terrible cost, had changed hands through a complicated series of transfers, yet its ownership was not in their own hands. Only revolutionary means could reclaim it.
Napoleon had just raised 400 million Francs in Antwerp. He could divert part of the funds to acquire the operating rights and ownership of the Mechelen Railway, while Mechelen had been the seat of Belgium's Supreme Court during the French Revolution.
The Belgians' standards for judging their rulers were actually quite simple: had their lives improved? Whether it was Margarita of Austria or Empress Maria Teresa, their governance had won popular support. When Charles VI established the Ostend Company, it was not only because of Dutch lobbying and the desire to open up trade with Asia, but also to address the economic hardship in the southern Netherlands.
Once-prosperous Bruges had indeed become far more desolate. Even the money to dredge its canals had to be raised little by little.
It was too close to London, and the Hanseatic League had already declined. The former handicrafts alliance had become primarily a grain exporter. The recent food crises in both France and Britain had been caused by reduced grain production in the Baltic Sea region.
With peace arriving in full, the "Capture Act" would no longer apply. That meant merchant ships would no longer have to bear the risk of carrying "enemy goods."
Every insurance company had different policy terms. A ship being "captured" could very likely leave a small merchant unable to honor his promissory notes. Britain's system of bankers' acceptances had resolved the worries of importers and exporters in other countries, greatly promoting the circulation of bills of exchange and the development of trade, while also