A reunion years later

Ross was startled by the enormous figure.

After all, this was equivalent to increasing the United Kingdom's total tax revenue by more than 15%!

"No, no! Prime Minister, such a sudden, steep tax increase could bankrupt a great many people."

Ross quickly searched his mind for arguments he could use to persuade the prime minister, and soon found one. "The factory owners will be unhappy, too.

"Those workers will certainly strike to resist the tax increase. Factory owners will have to raise wages to maintain normal production."

Pitt the Younger seemed to have considered this long ago. His expression remained calm. "You need not worry. Before next summer, large numbers of Irish will pour into Manchester, Birmingham, and Sheffield. They will do anything for the lowest wages."

Opening up the grain market would send grain prices falling, bankrupting large numbers of Irish farmers.

The bankrupt farmers would enter the United Kingdom's major cities and become cheap labor, leaving British workers afraid to strike.

Pitt the Younger knew that all this amounted to walking a tightrope, but that tightrope was the only path across the bottomless abyss before him.

If he wanted to preserve the empire's position as Europe's hegemon, he had to take this risk.

Ross opened his mouth, but only after a long while did he manage to squeeze out, "Yes, yes, using tax increases to reduce the money circulating in the market is indeed a viable means of controlling inflation."

Pitt the Younger said, "It is not entirely about controlling inflation, either. A third of the additional revenue will be allocated to the Navy Department.

"As you know, the French are building large numbers of new warships. It has become very difficult for us to keep building twice as many warships as they do, so increasing naval expenditure