112 Banker’s Bomb (1)
After the UK sent the Deputy Minister of Finance to Lee Hwan as a delegation, the position of Easterfield Financial Holding Company changed significantly.
Easterfield European Development Bank is setting new bond issuance and loan interest rates every month, and announced that it will significantly increase the interest rates from August.
It also announced that it will significantly raise interbank loan conditions in the future, while relentlessly withdrawing loans to banks that do not meet the conditions.
In short, the European Development Bank has begun to tighten austerity measures.
On August 2nd, the European Development Bank London branch notified via telegram that it would withdraw funds from banks that did not meet the credit standards.
The position was that it would no longer hold back the loan repayment date and collect the funds immediately this month.
Banks that have come to maturity are literally on fire.
Until now, all banks were procuring gold through the East Stellar Company to prevent them from returning, but the central bank had no choice but to block the money line.
On August 4, as soon as the news spread, businessmen rushed to commercial banks.
When British and European businessmen formed long lines in front of London’s commercial banks, the banks deliberately delayed hospitality to buy time.
“I’m bringing gold right now. If you wait a moment… … .”
“What kind of bullshit is that! When we entrusted the money, we ate it very well, and now we vomit, are we running out of money?”
“no! You’re bringing gold coins… … .”
“Bring gold, gold!”
The currency has recently depreciated considerably.
Since there are so many pound coins on the market, the value of the existing pound has depreciated, which has lowered its valuation relative to gold and silver coins.
However, the value of gold coins was slightly depreciated due to the gradual inflow of gold ingots from North America.
Four hours after opening, 12 commercial banks in London, England, were forced to a point where they were unable to pay any more due to a business shutdown.
“sorry! The gold coins you got today are running out! If you want to withdraw in pounds, you can withdraw!”
“God damn it! Where’s that nonsense?!”
“sorry! We only accept withdrawals in pounds sterling!”
“… … Then give it to me!”
Now, businessmen have been furious about robbing banks of all their pound sterling.
Commercial banks had no choice but to release money that far exceeded their reserves.
That’s how the first bank run came to an end.
Somehow, the first defense was barely successful, but the next day was a problem.
Commercial banks rushed straight to the Bank of England.
“Help me! If we do this, we will all die!”
“… … Damn it, it’s going to come out of Eaststellar.”
Patrick Rosterfield didn’t know that one word was wrong and things would get this big.
He could not have imagined that the words he had merely intended to intimidate as a delegation would upset Baron Easterfield and cause financial austerity.
The Treasury Secretary, Viscount Goderich, heard the news and rushed out.
Even so, Viscount Goderich, who had been forced out of the post of prime minister in the wake of the recent post-war economic downturn, had bloodshot eyes.
“What the hell would have happened in Holland that would have made it this far!”
“… … sorry. I have only come to the Netherlands on your orders.”
“You mean the road ran wild over there simply because you were sent by an envoy? Baron Easterfield is no teenage boy!”
Viscount Goderich was desperately trying to revive the Bank of England and commercial banks, which had recently begun to fail, but now he has reached a point where he can’t stand it any longer.
For him, he pressured the Eaststellar Company to even open a European Central Bank, but now all those efforts have been in vain.
Viscount Goderich asked Petrek Rosterfield.
“I won’t ask you twice. What the hell did you say to him?”
“It is against the law and treason to supply ammunition to the United States, Mexico, etc., which we support the Portuguese army and have hostile relations with them… … .”
“… … what? What would that mean if we weren’t declaring that we would eventually turn Baron Easterfield into a traitor?”
“Well, that’s not it. I was merely conveying our British position on the succession to the throne.”
“Is that a statement of position? I went to filter the quarrel! Ugh, it’s a goal!”
“Sin, sorry!”
If not, Viscount Goderich was forced to resign as prime minister due to the bank run.
He ordered Patrick Rosterfield to take responsibility for the situation.
“Fix it right now. I’m not going to talk too much, so I’m just telling you to fix the situation properly.”
“But how the hell do you do Easterfield finance, which has already started tightening… … .”
“Am I supposed to tell you how? Whether you go to Baron Easterfield and pray for his hands to become his feet, or lay flat in front of him and bark like a dog, it’s up to you. Do you know?”
“But it undermines His Majesty’s prestige… … .”
It was the human nature of the nobles to bow their heads in front of others even if they died sooner or later.
But now Rosterfield was not in a position to cover that up.
“It makes me want to slap my throat just to hear the word “Your Majesty” just come out of your mouth. Do you know?”
“… … What do you mean?”
“If your Majesty knew this, it would be natural for you to fly away from your branches. But I could die with that responsibility, so I’m just waiting for the resolution to be resolved. Do you know?”
“Well then, Your Majesty… … .”
“It is Your Majesty’s intention that we cannot carry forward our British cause by turning Baron Easterfield as an enemy. You mean you didn’t even know that?”
“No, then why did you express your opposition to the issue of succession to the Dutch throne… … .”
“I was opposed to the succession to the throne for the purpose of moderately checking, so would I have done this in order to isolate myself from Baron Easterfield?”
“… … iced coffee!”
Viscount Goderich said, squeezing his temples.
“I won’t talk any longer. Get the situation right now and come back. Do you know?”
“… … I will do my best.”
“No, I don’t need the best.
Failure to do so could lead to the collapse of the cabinet.
***
Late at night, there was a procession through the mines of Montana.
They were a convoy tasked with transporting iron-clad wagons to their headquarters in California.
The gold was worth 6.5 million pounds.
Since Austria paid the Allies about 200 pounds per month, it was said that this amount could arm and feed 100,000 troops for three months.
Of course, considering the amount of gold earned from East Stellar, it was definitely a fairly large amount, if not an absolute weight.
The transport consisted of 120 combat troops, 30 porters, and two accountants. Four iron wagons were mobilized, and eight tow trucks were mobilized to transport personnel.
All the combat troops were carrying rifles, and the cargo compartment was loaded with mortars, so it would be impossible to dream of looting on any scale.
Convoy Captain Jeff Peterson advanced, slowing down the vehicle’s speed and carefully looking in all directions.
“… … I am tired.”
“Captain, let’s rest for a while in the luggage compartment. You seem to be overdoing it.”
“I can’t help it. Until the mercenary base comes out, you can’t relax a bit.”
Peace in North America was kept very close, but no one knew when the situation would change suddenly.
Recently, due to poor crops in North America, grains were imported from South America and used, but the Portuguese navy interrupted the supply of food.
Even the Portuguese navy more than doubled its force and took control of the southern coast altogether.
With the looting taking place near Utah in this heinous state, it was not unreasonable that Jeff Peterson was nervous.
Jeff Peterson looked at the map in a torchlight.
Although there were lamps connected to portable batteries, torches were still used quite often.
The size of the recently invented storage battery was equivalent to 25 kg, and it was actually very inconvenient to carry it on your back and turn on the flashlight.
Therefore, the mercenaries preferred to use oil to make torches like this.
The map was very detailed.
“There is a hut around here where you can rest for a while. Let me take turns and close my eyes for a moment.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Wagons and people were pulled by a tow, but the road was so long that it was impossible to hold on without keeping our eyes closed for a while.
Taken from noblemtl.com
Moreover, when the open land came out, the soldiers had to get off the tow and escort them as if they were wrapped around them, so the fatigue was indescribable.
Jeff Peterson roughly spread out in the hut and let the soldiers rest.
He ate hard bread and jerky for late dinner.
“… … My jaw hurts.”
“It’s because you care too much.”
I used to tighten the chin strap of the bulletproof hat, so if I clenched my teeth even a little, my jaw would become stiff and painful.
Taken from noblemtl.com
Moreover, since this operation was important, there was no way Jeff Peterson’s jaw was left behind.
“It’s good that I don’t have to do this from next year.”
“Did you say that the train is going to break through?”
“Yeah, he said so. Now, in the Baron of Easterfield, I think we will be able to use the railroad at some point.”
The frame of the vehicle was not yet strong enough to block bullets, so when transporting gold, it had no choice but to drag it slowly like this by attaching a towbar to an iron-clad wagon.
But because the train is made of such thick steel, at least you wouldn’t be walking down the trail with this nervousness.
“You only have to wait a year. You, too, have a little more patience.”
“No, honestly, not a year. You said it would be completed in the first half of next year.”
“Is that so?”
There is already a railroad running from Vancouver to the United States, and a train from California to Mexico.
As railroads are being opened one after another from Utah to major cities in each country, their suffering is not too long.
Even while the soldiers took turns sleeping, Jeff Peterson couldn’t sleep while keeping a log of operations.
The commander was supposed to keep a log of any operation, no matter how small, and especially, transporting gold bars like this was even more important.
This is to record the current situation and prepare for any contingency.
If the enemy attacks the scene in case of emergency, the record of which route and how they arrived is of the utmost importance.
In the future, when the allies pursue the enemy, if they are kidnapped, the allies will pursue the rear through the journal.
Therefore, it can be said that this is an insurance that protects the company’s property and at the same time protects their lives.
It was when Jeff Peterson was in his hut, leaning on a lamp to keep his journal.
ding ding!
Suddenly a bell rang to wake the soldiers up.
“The enemy! It is an enemy surprise!”
“… … surprise attack?”
He tucked the journal into a sturdy iron box and carried it on his back.
The end of the journal ended with an attack.
Now, whatever happens, this journal will be the clue that tells it all.