Chapter 112 - Gallieni’s Money Isn’t Easy to Earn

Chapter 112 - Gallieni's Money Isn't Easy to Earn

Carter's flying club was located in the 10th arrondissement. He thought that since trains and airplanes were both modes of transport, situating his club near the Gare de l'Est train station might attract more customers. The reality, however, was that most people barely understood the concept of airplanes. They might look up at the sky and gasp, "Look, a giant kite!" But asking them to pay for a flight? They'd rather ride a horse.

When bankers showed up at Eric's airplane factory, Deyoka immediately suspected that Charles was right—if the bank was willing to outbid them, they must have seen future profits in aviation. Deyoka grew anxious that the flying club might be in the same situation.

"We have to hurry!" Deyoka urged. "The bankers might already be there negotiating with Carter. I hope he'll stand by you like Eric did."

He floored the gas pedal, wishing their car could take flight.

But Charles wasn't worried. He reassured his father, "Relax, they won't be interested in the club."

"Why not?" Deyoka glanced over, puzzled. "Isn't it similar to the airplane factory?"

"Not at all," Charles replied. "The factory can monopolize technology, but a flying club is just a plot of land. The military could easily find an alternative location if they needed to."

"But what about the pilots?" Deyoka argued. "It's not like there are many people who can fly."

"Pilots can be trained in large numbers," Charles said, looking out at the pedestrians on the street. "Human capital may be the cheapest thing there is. Even capitalists wouldn't be foolish enough to compete with the military over manpower."

Deyoka considered this. Charles was right: with the military holding conscription power, any capitalist trying to outbid them for personnel would risk attracting trouble. It would be a foolish move.

With this in mind, Deyoka relaxed and eased up on the gas.

Sure enough, when they arrived at the club, there was no sign of any bankers. Instead, they found the airstrip bustling with pilots, and various planes were parked haphazardly around the field. At the sight of Charles's car, the gathered pilots erupted into cheers, raising their hands in salute.

These pilots were all from the Paris area and had heard about the high wages Charles was offering. News had spread quickly, drawing in anyone with aviation skills.

Charles was willing to consider everyone, instructing Carter to screen candidates carefully. Only those who could actually fly or had relevant skills—like aircraft maintenance, field upkeep, or airport management—were kept on.

Deyoka was starting to feel nervous, so he pulled Charles aside and whispered, "Charles, we only have just over two million francs in total, most of which is from deposits for the motorcycle orders. Today, we've already spent more than half a million francs. And now you're signing on so many pilots, which will be a continuous expense. Are you sure this is…?"

"The pilots' salaries aren't our responsibility, Father," Charles interrupted. "Neither is the club. These are military expenses."

"What?" Deyoka looked at Charles in confusion. "So, are you hiring them as yourself or on behalf of the military?"

"Sometimes, I'm not even sure myself," Charles replied honestly. "General Gallieni put me in charge of this project, but he's been vague on specifics. He just mentioned it might eventually be converted for military use."

After a moment's thought, Charles explained further. "I believe he wants me to sign them on under my own name first. This keeps it under wraps, so Germany doesn't catch wind of our preparations. Once these operations prove effective on the battlefield, they'll become officially military."

Deyoka felt a bit disappointed; it seemed that the club and pilots were merely part of Charles's assigned duties rather than a business opportunity.

What he didn't know was that the club Charles had purchased from Carter for 100,000 francs would, once deemed "useful" by the military, be bought back at an assessed value of 300,000 francs.

The pilots themselves weren't related to business—they were exclusively military personnel that no one else could poach.

Before long, Charles realized that earning this money wouldn't be so simple. Gallieni was famously tight-fisted when it came to military funds, known for sparring with capitalists over prices.

After spending most of the day signing contracts, Charles had managed to enlist 137 pilots, as well as secure a buyback option on serviceable planes of various models, including the "Taube," the "Caudron," and even a German "Doppeldecker Albatros."

(Note: The "Doppeldecker Albatros" set several world records in a few short months before the war, making it popular with aviation enthusiasts.)

Charles reported his signings to Gallieni, detailing which planes could be used for reconnaissance, which could be fitted with rockets, and which might be used as training aircraft.

"Excellent!" Gallieni said approvingly as he glanced over the report, nodding with satisfaction.

"So…" Charles raised the file in his hand. "I purchased 21 planes at a total cost of 173,000 francs. With the first round of pilot wages, the total comes to 181,500 francs."

His message was clear: where should he submit these expenses for reimbursement? And what about the 100,000 spent on the flying club? Would he be refunded immediately, or would they wait to buy it back later at the 300,000 evaluation? He needed clarification.

Gallieni, however, remained unfazed. "You know, Lieutenant, the army recently bought a shipment of tanks and a large order of sidecar motorcycles. Plus, we've recruited a significant number of new soldiers. Currently, our budget is overdrawn, so we're unable to cover additional costs."

"But General," Charles said, looking down at the documents, "I've already paid."

"Of course," Gallieni said. "I won't make you pay out of pocket. How about we offer you 5% interest, treating it as a loan from you to the military?"

Without hesitation, Charles rejected the offer. "That's barely the lowest rate. Even banks don't offer loans at that rate."

Charles knew how to make money fast and was confident that he could rapidly grow his fortune by reinvesting at market rates. Lending to the army at 10% would barely be worthwhile, let alone 5%.

"In that case…" Gallieni continued, "I may need to assign you a liaison officer to persuade you of the merits of this plan."

Charles raised an eyebrow. "It won't matter who you send, General. I won't agree."

Then, Gallieni closed the file, looked Charles squarely in the eye, and said, "Lieutenant, I'm assigning you this task."

Charles was taken aback but quickly understood. Gallieni was "assigning" Charles, his advisor, the job of convincing Charles, the capitalist!

Could he even do that? Was this the real reason Gallieni had drafted him as an advisor?

That old fox!

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