Franz naturally knew nothing of the British concerns. At this moment, he was still troubled by the Suez Canal project.
There were two main issues:
First, the canal company had made extensive use of slave labor, drawing condemnation from European public opinion;
Second, canal construction costs had run over budget, requiring additional investment.
The second problem was easy to solve. The canal company had already decided to issue additional shares to raise funds, and the issue would be resolved before long.
Under normal circumstances, it would not have been difficult for France and Austria to suppress European public opinion by joining forces. There were not many bleeding hearts in this era; few people would step forward for a group of Egyptian slaves.
Besides, these slaves had all been supplied by the Egyptian Government, and the canal company had paid the Egyptian Government for them.
Previously, even when newspapers reported on the matter, their attacks had been aimed at the Egyptian Government. After all, it had organized the laborers and withheld their wages.
Egypt was not a European country anyway. European public opinion was something they could not feel, so they could carry the blame if they had to.
Things were different now. In order to promote cotton cultivation in Egypt, the British had to compete with the canal company for labor.
The Suez Railway built by the British was likewise in competition with the canal company.
A conflict of interests between the two sides was unavoidable, and thus contradictions arose. To strike at the canal company, John Bull had stirred up public opinion to pressure it.
Once the shit-stirring stick made its move, the fig leaf was no longer enough. France and Austria were not running charities, and in order to save costs, the canal company had inevitably squeezed labor