After Francis II's death, Metternich had bound his interests tightly to those of the Rothschild family in his search for support.
As a result, their positions had been reversed. Metternich now depended on the Rothschild family's influence instead.
Count Kolowrat had forged a wide-ranging alliance with forces in Italy to drive Prince Metternich out of the heart of Austrian power.
Although the state's tax revenues had increased, they were still nowhere near enough to offset the combined attacks of France, Prussia, and Hungary.
The merchants who had been so ambitious just a couple of years ago were now wondering how they could offload the operating rights they held.
In stark contrast to the feverish railway construction in other countries, Austria's railway industry had fallen into a winter chill. Half of all railway projects had ground to a halt, and the other half would soon follow unless new funds were injected.
Ferdinand I's Chief Advisor was also run ragged. Only after taking over Baron Bruck's authority did he realize what a poisoned chalice it was.
Karl von Slut had no way of securing more loans for the Austrian Empire. That was a major reason Austria's finances had collapsed so badly.
Meanwhile, across the ocean, Baron Bruck was busy with something that delighted him.
In the first six months of 1836, he had successfully cashed out $6 million in precious metals from the United States. At the London exchange, he had turned $10 million into banknotes and precious metals worth a total of 2 million pounds.
Baron Bruck had sold 45 percent of his land. Even so, he had made a tenfold profit.
If he could now sell all the remaining land and convert the proceeds into silver and gold, Archduke "Franz Karl" would have earned a total of $35.55 million.
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