Chapter 1242: President of the United States

Hearing Wei Qingmu's question, Bruce van Diemen sighed again!

How could the situation here in Europe not affect the East India Company? The Dutch East India Company may call itself a commercial institution and a joint-stock company, but in reality it still leans on the great tree of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands... Now that the Republic is tottering in the wind and rain, the East India Company is naturally in a panic too!

Moreover, the East India Company is a publicly traded company! As early as 1602, the company's shares were being bought and sold on the Amsterdam securities market, and they have now been trading for more than sixty years.

Over those sixty-plus years, the company's shares have repeatedly changed hands and scattered, and nearly every merchant in Amsterdam is now a shareholder of the company.

This means that the Ming Emperor, who owns 20% of the East India Company's shares, can perfectly well buy up East India Company stock on the Amsterdam securities market and ultimately achieve the goal of becoming the company's controlling shareholder.

Considering the coming war over the Spanish Netherlands and the difficult situation the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands is about to face, East India Company stock is very likely to be dumped in large quantities by its shareholders.

So the possibility that this valuable joint-stock company will be controlled by the Ming Emperor in the future is simply too great...

"Mr. Diemen, what are you worried about?" Wei Qingmu asked with a smile. "Do tell me!"

Bruce van Diemen gave a bitter smile. "It is not what I am worried about, but that the board of directors hopes to split the company into two parts: the East India Trading Company and the India Trading Company... The former would be responsible for trade in the Strait of Malacca and the regions east of it, including trade between those regions and Europe; the latter would be responsible for trade affairs in the Indian Ocean."

In truth, the real purpose of the Dutch in splitting the East India Company was to keep the Ming Emperor from interfering in their plundering business with the Shun Empire.

The Ming Emperor and the Shun Crown Prince's grandson becoming partners in plundering India through the East India Company — the whole affair was rather absurd, and even the Dutch, whose heads were stuffed full of business, found it somewhat unreliable.

"So that's how it is..." Wei Qingmu thought for a moment. "That would be acceptable, but a directed issuance of 20% of the shares is a bit little, after all your East India Company lost the war!"

"Hmph!"

Bruce van Diemen snorted, but still nodded.

Losing the war was a fact!

Being unable to fight on was reality!

The Republic of the Seven United Netherlands now needed to concentrate all its strength on dealing with the upheaval in Europe, and lacked the power to contend with the Great Ming Empire in the East.

Wei Qingmu smiled. "His Majesty the Emperor will not ask for much more... How about 30%?"

"No, that is too much!" Bruce van Diemen said. "At most 22%."

"Heh heh," Wei Qingmu laughed and shook his head. "Bruce, I don't think you understand yet... His Majesty's investment in the East India Company is actually a form of protection for the company! With the Ming Emperor as a shareholder, this company will change from a Dutch company into an international one!

That means that when the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands goes to war with England or France, the Great Ming Empire and other neutral countries can intervene to ensure the company's normal operations."

"At most 25%, and no further seeking to increase the company's shareholding," Bruce van Diemen said. "That is the board's bottom line... Moreover, the Emperor may appoint only one director to the company."

"Very well, 25% it is... appointing one director is also no problem." Wei Qingmu said. "But we have one more demand: the East India Company's headquarters in the East must be moved to Temasek Island."

Although there would be a "free city" on Temasek Island, the master of that city would without question be the Celestial Empire, and Zhu Cilang had plenty of ways to make that free city submit to his will.

So once the Dutch East India Company's foundation moved from Batavia to Temasek, it would in effect enter Zhu Cilang's grasp!

Its complete fall — well, its complete internationalization — would then only be a matter of time.

Moreover, the city of Temasek, once it welcomed the East India Company, would certainly grow rapidly and become a second Shanghai in the near future.

"Then," Bruce van Diemen asked, "to whom will Batavia belong?"

"Batavia is of course the property of the East India Company!" Wei Qingmu said with certainty. "The company fully possesses the administrative and judicial powers over the city, and may continue to maintain land forces in Batavia.

Moreover, the Ming court will not interfere with the East India Company's actions on the island of Java, nor will it seek tributary states or colonies on Java!"

What this meant was that the East India Company could continue happily doing as it pleased on Java, and the Great Ming Celestial Empire would not interfere... In any case, since the East India Company would sooner or later become an "internationalized" great company, letting it control Java was still quite satisfactory.

"Then what of the company's interests in the Maluku Islands and the Banda Islands?" Bruce van Diemen asked again.

The Maluku Islands and the Banda Islands were the so-called Spice Islands, the East India Company's most important source of profit in the region east of Malacca.

"They shall still be enjoyed by the East India Company," Wei Qingmu said. "These two archipelagos also belong to the company, and the Ming court will not interfere."

Bruce van Diemen nodded. "Then... whom does His Majesty the Emperor designate to serve as the company's director?"

Wei Qingmu smiled and pointed at himself. "This humble official will serve as the company's director."

Bruce van Diemen laughed. "Then let me wish us a pleasant cooperation in advance!"

Bruce and Wei Qingmu's talks ended there. Leaving the Ming embassy, he did not go to the East India Company's board headquarters, but headed straight for the residence of the Grand Pensionary, Johan de Witt.

"25%..." After hearing Bruce van Diemen's report, Johan de Witt still sighed. "He is still the company's largest shareholder! Bruce, what means do you think he will use to take the company from our hands?"

"Take it?" Bruce van Diemen was startled. "Your Excellency the Grand Pensionary, do you believe we will ultimately lose the East India Company?"

De Witt, whose nose and chin were both pointed, looked somewhat melancholy. "Would we not? You don't think he will be content to remain a major shareholder with little decision-making power, do you?"

"Grand Pensionary..." Bruce van Diemen's brow furrowed as well. "I think he will take further action when we finally come into conflict with France!"

De Witt remained silent.

Bruce van Diemen said in a low voice, "Unless we can rebuild the army as quickly as possible, otherwise..."

"We do not need a powerful army," De Witt said, shaking his head. "Because our strength is limited, and we cannot maintain a powerful army and a powerful navy at the same time... Moreover, the States General will allocate funds to build a series of fortresses along our border with the Netherlands, and these fortresses will be equipped with 18-pounder cannons, all of which will be supplied with explosive shells. Relying on these fortresses, our security on land is assured."

Hearing the Grand Pensionary's words, Bruce van Diemen was startled. "Grand Pensionary, have we already prepared to accept the prospect of the Spanish Netherlands being occupied by France?"

De Witt sighed and said, "The younger Cromwell, after all, cannot compare to his father. He has no great interest in the affairs of the European continent, and for now thinks only of his colonies in the New World and of destroying the English Royalist party sheltered by Spain... Perhaps after the Royalists in the Spanish Netherlands are destroyed, he will intervene, but until then, he will only watch and wait.

And Sweden... I think they too would not dare to fight a costly battle against the army that the Prince of Condé has built for Louis XIV. Their difficulties are much the same as ours — too small a population."

"What of Austria?" Bruce van Diemen said. "Their strength seems to have recovered somewhat; in 1664 they even fought the Ottoman Empire to a draw."

"They cannot be counted on..." De Witt said. "The Empire has become a heap of loose sand; Austria alone can do little, and is moreover tied down by the Ottomans. So we can only prepare ourselves for the prospect of having the French as neighbors, and then take things one step at a time!"