Chapter Summaries

Joseph planned to use Dutch outrage over Britain’s attack on the Cape to redirect investment toward Rhineland companies, while French agents prepared aid and an escape route for the Boers. After the British captured Cape Town, Marlvik persuaded Governor Sluisken to lead the settlers into the Drakensberg Mountains, where the Xhosa accepted them.

• Joseph told Gaudin to fund efforts in Amsterdam to turn Dutch investors against British companies and direct withdrawn capital toward Rhineland businesses.
• Joseph instructed Lavalette to build trust with the Xhosa and Zulu, arrange refuge for the Boers, and send food, medicine, and doctors to the Cape.
• British forces under George Elphinstone and James Craig captured Simon’s Town and besieged Cape Town, leaving Governor Sluisken preparing to surrender.
• Marlvik met Sluisken in Cape Town and urged him to evacuate rather than surrender, promising that the French could arrange Xhosa refuge in the Drakensberg Mountains.
• Sluisken led more than thirteen thousand Boers and a larger number of Basters and Malays into the mountains, where the Xhosa welcomed them with French-supplied gifts and guns.

Joseph realized that the Dutch East India Company’s share price could be used to shake Amsterdam’s stock market, so he ordered De Witt to spread alarming reports about the English invasion of the Cape. The Dutch government intervened as the shares plunged, and Parliament imposed strict news controls as short-selling positions grew.

• Sluisken learned from Marlvik that doctors had earned the Xhosa’s trust by saving the Ngika Tribal Chief’s mother, while the Security Bureau had secretly supplied the Ngika and Kalecka Tribes with Flintlock Guns.
• De Witt reported to Joseph that patriotic articles had failed to trigger Dutch stock selloffs, and Joseph concluded that financial capitalists controlled the market.
• Joseph noticed that the Dutch East India Company’s stock had barely moved despite the English attack on the Cape and decided to target it as the market’s weak point.
• De Witt and Scheller replaced patriotic editorials with reports predicting the Cape’s fall and severe losses for the East India Company.
• Investors dumped East India Company shares, prompting the Dutch government to intervene before Parliament imposed strict news controls as short-selling positions mounted.

De Witt used pamphlets and leveraged stock sales to drive the Dutch East India Company's share price into a steep decline, triggering panic and public anger in Amsterdam. The chapter ended with a young man denouncing England and pointing out that the Birmingham Kovac Steel Company had profited from the invasion.

• Pamphlets circulated in Amsterdam claiming the English offensive at the Cape of Good Hope would cause catastrophic losses for the Dutch East India Company, prompting a wave of sell orders.
• De Witt used Mann and other traders to sell more than 2.4 million guilders' worth of borrowed shares, while keeping nearly one hundred thousand shares to continue the sell-off.
• Despite the Dutch Government spending nearly 1.5 million guilders to support the market, the company's share price fell 24% in just over ten days and sank below 400 guilders per trading unit on April 11.
• Schimmelpenninck tried to ban the pamphlets, but opposition parties blocked the legislation in Parliament.
• As public anger grew, protesters demanded that the Netherlands retake the Cape of Good Hope, and a young man accused England of invasion while noting that Birmingham Kovac Steel Company shares had risen 12%.

De Witt’s short-selling campaign drove down the shares of British companies in Amsterdam, while Dutch investors shifted their money toward Rhineland companies. The chapter ended with Rochefoucauld’s convoy delivering Honeycomb Briquettes to Meadow Village.

• Amsterdam citizens withdrew money from investment firms and sold shares in British companies, starting a sell-off.
• De Witt short-sold Kovac Steel Company and other British companies, earning 270,000 Dutch Guilders in a little over a month.
• Dutch financial leaders discussed investing in Rhineland companies, and more than 7 million Dutch Guilders left British companies for new investments.
• De Witt bought shares in Rhineland companies under orders from Versailles Palace, helping their prices rise.
• Rochefoucauld’s convoy arrived in Meadow Village with Honeycomb Briquettes, and Father Carlo called the villagers to buy coal.

Rochefoucauld demonstrated the King's new iron wheelbarrow to Meadow Village farmers and offered it with subsidies, loans, and a repair guarantee. A farmer agreed to buy one, and Rochefoucauld ordered Lasut to assemble it.

• Rochefoucauld introduced the Universal Flying Cart to the villagers as a new invention designed by the King.
• Lasut assembled the sheet-metal wheelbarrow, and Rochefoucauld demonstrated that it could carry water and help farmers fertilize their fields.
• Villagers tried pushing the cart and praised its light weight and ease of use.
• Rochefoucauld offered the cart for thirty Francs and six Sous after a government subsidy and discount, with loans and five years of free repairs.
• A broad-shouldered farmer agreed to buy a cart, and Rochefoucauld told the Agricultural Service Consulting Company representative to register his loan and Lasut to assemble it.

Rochefoucauld promoted his Universal Flying Carts in Meadow Village, where a wedding feast gave villagers a chance to see the carts in use. After selling thirty-nine Wheelbarrows in four days, he prepared to leave, but loud arguing at the Leono home caught his attention.

• Rochefoucauld sold four Wheelbarrows and stayed at Lord Elvigne’s home, then returned the next day to sell more.
• Domi Leono’s father invited Rochefoucauld to the wedding feast, and Rochefoucauld lent the family three Wheelbarrows to move supplies.
• At the feast, villagers discussed improved harvests, Potash Fertilizer, and a proposed loan for a Steam Mill.
• The Wheelbarrows helped with the feast, and Rochefoucauld’s sales rose to thirty-nine over four days.
• As Rochefoucauld left Meadow Village, he heard fierce arguing inside the Leono family home.

Rochefoucauld tried to settle a dispute in the Leono household over whether Domi should leave for Paris to study or remain to inherit the family business. As he backed Domi’s ambitions, a well-dressed visitor arrived asking for Roman Odorik Sapina.

• Leono threw Roman out of the house and objected when Domi announced he planned to take the Paris Military Technical School entrance examination.
• Domi argued that he wanted to become a tax officer or join the Public Notary Investigation Bureau, while Mark predicted he would fail and return home.
• Domi and Leono appealed to Rochefoucauld, who supported letting Domi seek opportunities in Paris and described possible careers for him.
• A black carriage stopped outside the Leono household, and a well-dressed young man asked for Roman Odorik Sapina.

Roman Sapina was approved as Meadow Parish’s Resident Doctor under the Crown Prince’s village medical program, and Baron Viedang began training him with a new medical manual. Roman’s family welcomed the opportunity, while Domi gained permission to leave for Paris and pursue a career.

• Baron Viedang delivered Roman Sapina’s approval as Meadow Parish’s Resident Doctor and explained that villagers would receive free consultations.
• Leono learned that Roman would receive a monthly subsidy and persuaded Domi to go to Paris and seek a future as a taxation officer.
• Viedang began training Roman at his home and gave him the second edition of the Resident Doctor manual, warning him to guard it carefully.
• Roman studied the manual intensely under Viedang’s guidance and made rapid progress.
• A week later, Roman encountered an opportunity to put his new skills to use.

Sapina saved Kevin from choking and became a sought-after village doctor with the help of the Resident Doctor Manual. Meanwhile, Admiral Jervis watched the Avenger’s maiden trial, which ended with the new steam warship suddenly breaking down.

• Sapina used the Heimlich Maneuver from the Resident Doctor Manual to dislodge a pickled Olive and save Kevin.
• Mabelde and Giller repaid Sapina by tending his field, and Sapina later treated Baber’s sick child according to the manual.
• As villagers brought him more patients, Sapina became busy enough that they took over his family’s farm work.
• Admiral Jervis anticipated the Royal Navy’s growing Steam Fleet as the Avenger began its maiden voyage trial outside the Port of London.
• The Avenger fired a salute, then made a loud creak, stopped emitting smoke, and abruptly slowed.

After the Avenger broke down on its maiden voyage, French agents realized the Ship Axle was likely sabotaged and devised a plan to bury the cause by tying the investigation to British investment funding. Frank urged Shipyard director Harper to pressure the Navy Committee, leaving the cover-up plan awaiting action.

• The Avenger broke down during its maiden voyage, and Sander confirmed its Steam Engine components remained intact while suspecting the Ship Axle had broken.
• Frank warned Sander not to discuss the suspected axle failure and secretly reported it to his superiors.
• Hart told Potier that the Security Bureau needed to conceal the Guaiac Wood sabotage and agreed to exploit the Government Investment Fund to hinder the Navy Committee's investigation.
• Frank urged Harper to apply for investment in large-scale Steam Paddle Wheel Ship production so the Navy Committee would avoid damaging the project by continuing its investigation.
• Frank suggested that Harper tell Sir Middleton the investment could indirectly subsidize warship construction through swapping lumber grades.

The Government Investment Fund began voting on its first projects, while Jervis accepted a fabricated explanation for the Avenger accident and Potier reported that a plan had gone smoothly. The chapter ended as the committee considered a 500,000-pound investment in Chatham Royal Shipyard’s steam paddle steamer project.

• Jervis accepted the Navy Committee's claim that a drunken supply officer had caused the Avenger's boiler failure, while Middleton assured him that Chatham Shipyard would deliver on time.
• Potier burned a message confirming the plan had gone smoothly, and Madam Lavesia struggled to stop her husband and Baron Prilessi from dueling in Paris.
• Sir Connor Malik opened the Government Investment Fund's first public vote on investment applications.
• The committee rejected Kovac Steel Company's 150,000-pound request, approved Wedgwood Holly-Keen Ceramics Company's 90,000-pound porcelain project, and rejected applications from Leeds Lightweight Textile Mill and Birmingham McCartney Ironworks.
• The committee members grew interested as Malik's assistant read Chatham Royal Shipyard's 500,000-pound steam paddle steamer proposal.

Britain’s Management Committee approved Chatterham Shipyard’s steamship investment but rejected Gariweiler Coal Company’s gas streetlight proposal, stalling the chemical industry. After learning Britain had begun voting on investment applications, Joseph ordered Bolton-Watt Company to seek an £800,000 government investment for a new steam engine project.

• The Management Committee approved Chatterham Shipyard’s application by twelve votes to two after Frank promised its steamships would soon undercut French prices.
• Lord Starr watched the vote and concluded that Britain needed to direct investments according to its own industrial needs rather than copy France.
• The Management Committee unanimously rejected Gariweiler Coal Company’s gas streetlight project, leaving Lord Starr concerned that Britain’s coal and chemical industries would fall further behind France.
• Lavalette told Joseph that Britain’s investigation into its steam warship had ended and that Chatterham Shipyard had received funding.
• Joseph learned that Britain was using votes to decide investment applications and ordered Mr. Hart to have Bolton-Watt Company apply for £800,000 for its latest 180-horsepower steam engine project.

Joseph learned that American forces threatened Spanish Louisiana and were diverting troops meant for Coimbra, so he decided to block U.S. expansion along the Mississippi. He ordered Aranda’s reinforcements sent to Coimbra as planned and said he would handle North America, while waiting for Madrid to ask France to take Louisiana.

• Joseph told Lavalette how to free up 800,000 in funds through parliamentary review and warned him not to use the method himself.
• Talleyrand and Berthier reported that Count of Aranda wanted to delay the Coimbra reinforcements by three months because 2,000 American militia threatened New Orleans.
• Talleyrand explained that Anthony Wayne’s forces had defeated Little Turtle’s Indian Alliance, prompting the United States to pursue the tribes toward Spanish-held Louisiana and challenge Mississippi navigation rights.
• Joseph declared that France must stop American expansion along the Mississippi and said he would wait for Madrid to request help taking Louisiana.
• Joseph instructed Berthier to tell Count of Aranda to send the troops to Coimbra as scheduled, promising to handle the North American crisis.

Talleyrand persuaded Spain’s ministers to prioritize the Coimbra battlefield over sending troops to New Orleans, offering Spanish support from the Atlantic Fleet if the Americans refused to withdraw. In London, Frank and Bolton bribed officials and Parliament members to block competing investments, clearing the way for the Bolton-Watt Steam Engine Company to seek an 800,000-Pound Sterling investment.

• Talleyrand argued that Spain should focus its forces on Portugal rather than risk an expensive military operation in Louisiana, and Floridablanca agreed to seek the king’s approval.
• Frank offered Lord Richard Montes a bribe to veto an 800,000-Pound Sterling investment project, and Montes agreed to enlist two other Members of Parliament.
• Frank and Bolton bribed Sir Malik and three Management Committee Members to help block rival investment proposals.
• Malik submitted five investment proposals for review, and Montes and the other two Members of Parliament secured their veto.
• The Fund Management Committee received Bolton-Watt Steam Engine Company’s application for an 800,000-Pound Sterling investment in its 180 Horsepower Steam Engine.

The Government Investment Fund approved an 800,000-pound investment in high-pressure steam engines, and Frank arranged a scheme to funnel bribes to Congressman Montes and other shareholders through three supplier companies. Meanwhile, Father Vigne reached the Creek chief Chekilli to seek cooperation in resolving the Port of New Orleans crisis, offering him guns and ammunition.

• Admiral Keavis attended the Government Investment Fund vote, and the Management Committee approved the investment by ten votes to four.
• Frank and Congressman Montes arranged for three companies owned by politicians to supply Seawest Shipbuilding Company at inflated prices, hiding the bribes in legitimate transactions.
• The Bolton-Watt Company promised Seawest Shipbuilding Company contracts and technical support, while Frank planned for the three shell companies to collapse after paying off the bribes.
• Father Vigne and his small party arrived in Mobile with royal authorization to resolve the Port of New Orleans crisis.
• After a three-day journey, Vigne met Creek chief Chekilli, who rejected his claims of peaceful intent.
• Vigne told Chekilli he was French and offered three hundred flintlock guns and ample ammunition for cooperation.

Father Vigne persuaded Chekilli to seek an alliance with the Coweta and Kasita Tribes and attack the Port of New Orleans, offering weapons and support. After talks with the Coweta stalled, Hatki approached Vigne with a request to deliver money and thanks to Anna Soleil de Freise in France.

• Vigne offered Chekilli weapons and promised the Creek warriors could raid the Port of New Orleans while Spanish forces held the Americans at Baton Rouge.
• Chekilli agreed to seek an alliance with the Coweta and Kasita Tribes and send at least a thousand warriors to attack the port.
• More than four hundred and fifty Flintlock Guns arrived, and Chekilli and Vigne traveled to negotiate with Harjo of the Coweta Tribe.
• Harjo was unwilling to cooperate, so Chekilli prepared to approach the Kasita Tribe instead.
• Hatki asked Vigne to deliver twenty US Dollar to Anna Soleil de Freise in France to thank her for saving him and his sister.

Hatki helped Father Vigne unite the Creek, Coweta, and Kasita tribes, which gathered more than 1,100 warriors and marched toward New Orleans. As Anthony Wayne’s American force advanced on Baton Rouge, he learned that Indians had attacked the port, but Elcano refused to let the Americans pass or trust their promise to withdraw.

• Hatki agreed to help Father Vigne persuade his uncle, Chief Harjo, to support the alliance among the tribes.
• Chief Harjo and the tribal leaders agreed to send 260 warriors, and Chekilli later gathered more than 1,100 warriors from nearby tribes.
• Anthony Wayne prepared to march on Baton Rouge with more than 2,500 American militia and three cannons to secure free navigation on the Mississippi.
• Wayne learned that Indians had attacked New Orleans and ordered his troops to reach the port within six days.
• Spanish forces fired on Wayne’s troops outside Baton Rouge, and Elcano refused both to let them pass and to trust Wayne’s offer of a temporary withdrawal.

Anthony Wayne’s attack on Baton Rouge stalled as Indian raids threatened New Orleans and Mississippi River trade. Under pressure to protect the port and the American economy, the United States agreed to a ceasefire that ended Wayne’s campaign and sent Elcano to restore navigation.

• Mayor Wilson warned Wayne that Indian raiders had captured ships at New Orleans and threatened to burn the port.
• Wayne met Governor Elcano and offered to withdraw west of Chickasaw so Spain could address the threat, but Elcano refused to leave Baton Rouge.
• Officials from Woodville and Memphis and Secretary Paul Gallagher urged Wayne to reinforce New Orleans, while Gallagher reported that the governor had proposed a ceasefire to the Federal Parliament.
• The United States and Spain signed a ceasefire agreement in Baton Rouge: Wayne’s militia would disband, Woodville and Natchez would become non-military buffer zones, and Elcano would go to New Orleans to restore navigation.

Elcano worried that Spain would lose Louisiana to the expanding United States, while Joseph planned to acquire the colony and use Native American alliances to contain American expansion. In the Creek town, Vigne continued his work of uniting the tribes and adapting Christian teachings for them.

• Elcano ordered his staff to check that American militia had left the buffer zone, then wrote to the Spanish king requesting immigrants for Louisiana.
• Joseph planned to obtain Louisiana from Spain and relied on geologists in California to find bargaining chips for a deal.
• Chekilli distributed the spoils of the raid among the participating tribes, and the eleven tribes in Alabama formed an alliance with him as leader.
• Vigne learned of the alliance and reflected on the mistrust and differences that still divided the tribes.
• Vigne and the priests discussed how to relate the Fire God to their teachings, then stored their manuscript, titled “Bible: Indian Gospel.”

Father Vigne and Father Lorier traveled to the Creek Tribe to preach using a Gospel adapted to Native American beliefs. Stone Eagle rejected the new Gospel and refused to let it spread through the tribe.

• Father Vigne and Father Lorier walked toward Stone Eagle’s residence, discussing the Creek Alliance’s military weakness and their mission to preach.
• Father Vigne explained that Joseph had ordered missionaries to adapt Christianity for Native Americans and continue preaching even if the Creek Alliance fell.
• Stone Eagle recited familiar biblical stories and told Vigne to preach to the tribespeople instead of him.
• Father Vigne told Stone Eagle a rewritten account of Jesus’s life in North America, linking Native American legends and gods to biblical figures.
• After hearing the adapted Gospel, Stone Eagle called it a wonderful story but refused to let it spread through the tribe.