Sheffield didn't take it seriously, attributing everything to the elections and putting on an act of being reluctantly swept along by public opinion. Whether this was true or not, only heaven knew.
"I believe the directors also understand that both parties have reached this point against their wishes in our long-term cooperation," Sheffield said apologetically to several directors of Barclays Bank. "No matter what has happened, the friendship between us will not fade. For a long time, Sheffield has maintained cooperation with your bank in the import and export trade with Britain. Unless something unexpected happens, this cooperation will naturally continue."
"Your family has such a significant influence on the Democratic Party—can't you think of a solution?" One of the directors of Barclays Bank, McDougall, who had a full beard, spoke up. "To be honest, in nearly a hundred years, the British Empire has never faced such strong protests. Is it a bluff, or are they really preparing for a showdown? To be honest, it's a bit frightening."
"They are prepared for war but are bluffing!" After some thought, Sheffield gave an answer that was relatively close to the truth. "This Secretary of State is a friend of the railroad magnate and was formerly the Attorney General in the U.S. What does he know about international trade? Naturally, he doesn't understand the traditional friendship between us. Of course, this traditional friendship requires the efforts of both sides to maintain. Otherwise, this friendship could shift to banks like Barings Bank or the Royal Bank of Scotland."
There wasn't just one bank in Britain. Honestly, in London, if Sheffield threw a stone, he'd probably hit a banker. London wasn't short of bankers; what it lacked were close partners for those bankers. The banks he mentioned were no less powerful than Barclays Bank, and such questioning made him quite annoyed.
"This isn't what we mean. You're still young. We've cooperated with Lady Anna and Sheffield for a long time, even having contact back in New Orleans. However, such friction inevitably brings financial risks, so it's reasonable for us to ask more questions." Upon hearing Sheffield's dissatisfaction, McDougall calmly interjected, "Even before the Civil War, your family's cotton funds were settled through our bank. This kind of trust and friendship takes a long time to build."
Sheffield scratched his scalp, thinking it made sense. Was he being too sensitive? Since they were polite, he naturally responded politely, "This public sentiment is uncontrollable by anyone. However, our trade must continue. I believe it won't lead to major problems."
Had he not come to Europe, he would have thought history had already changed drastically. Coming here, he realized that his grandfather's influence on history was very limited, much like an emperor whose reign ended prematurely. He hadn't changed the world much before being taken out by a bullet.
How innocent he was now, yet he still had to endure possible sanctions, despite everyone being part of the imperialist camp.
"In fact, I think that once the election results are out, regardless of whether the Democrats win or lose this time, as long as the election ends, the issue of Venezuela can naturally be discussed. Let's not hurt our relationship," Sheffield said to a group of partners. "Those country bumpkins in our country don't understand international issues, but I believe the subjects of the British Empire understand this well and can solve the problem more wisely."
Regardless, he first flattered them, expressing his helplessness about the current situation. His family was just farmers; except in Texas, they basically had no influence, so they shouldn't overestimate themselves. He came to Europe to kowtow to Britain, France, and Germany, hoping to obtain patent licenses.
"The next one is Lord Austen, the foreign trade official!" Sheffield put away the list. His busyness was no less than that of the Secretary of State. Upon arriving in London, he directly visited various connections.
Mainly banks and people involved in trade. Olney was the Secretary of State of the federal government, and it was normal for him to come and demonstrate power. As a loyal partner of the British Empire, it was natural for Sheffield to smooth relations.
Regarding the aggressive demonstration by the U.S. Secretary of State, the British power structure in London was also evaluating. In the Foreign Office building opposite No. 10 Downing Street, the current Prime Minister, Marquess of Salisbury, was working inside. The Marquess of Salisbury disliked the dilapidated No. 10 Downing Street and greatly appreciated the newly built spacious and grand building.
"Unlike Olney, the Democratic Party's financier who also came to Europe is currently mingling with the banking sector. From this child's perspective, many of America's wealthy class do not want to break ties with the British Empire," explained Bayard, an aide to the Prime Minister, at the Foreign Office building opposite No. 10 Downing Street. "Currently, the U.S. federal government, due to domestic economic depression, may be using the Venezuela issue to divert focus and create trouble for us. As for the newly appointed Secretary of State Olney, he was previously the U.S. Attorney General and earlier this year mobilized half of the U.S. army to suppress rioting workers."
Though it was said that half of the U.S. army was mobilized, in reality, it was just over ten thousand men, as the U.S. Army only had thirty thousand soldiers.
"This incident caused dozens of casualties, but the economic depression hasn't eased. According to recent telegrams, grain prices in the U.S. have soared, and the economic depression continues. There's still much to be done. Under these circumstances, we have sufficient reason to believe that those country bumpkins are not prepared. What worries me is Germany's reaction." Bayard then presented the German industry's public opinion on this Anglo-American conflict. "The Germans seem to have discovered an excellent opportunity; almost everyone from the public to the government stands on the American side."
"The Americans must have offered quite a few sweet deals to the Germans!" After a long pause, the Marquess of Salisbury finally spoke slowly. His iconic beard reaching his chest made even his aide Bayard listen carefully to confirm if the Prime Minister had indeed spoken. "As for the U.S. and Germany, even if they join forces, they still cannot challenge our interests. Of course, it's best to deal with them one by one."
The Marquess of Salisbury's extremely intelligent hairstyle paired with his dense beard reaching his chest gave him a comical appearance, more like a comedic actor. However, his words carried the arrogance of British invincibility. A few years ago, he passed a naval expansion bill, establishing the two-power standard for maritime powers.
However, regarding the development of European powers, he still adhered to his consistent belief that the British Empire did not need allies, and no country was worthy of allying with the British Empire. He rejected the opposition leader Joseph Chamberlain's proposal to ally with the German Empire.
"In the end, the Germans are more detestable!" Salisbury finally expressed his thoughts. "Anti-British sentiment in America is not rare, and as the cooler heads prevail, such rhetoric will naturally disappear."
"This guy is actually pro-German!" Sheffield, holding back his anger, was just leaving Joseph Chamberlain's house. He remembered that this man was the father of the WWII Prime Minister Chamberlain. No wonder you didn't become Prime Minister.
(End of Chapter)