He Opened a Matchmaking Agency in 18th Century London - Ch. 3
Clip-clop. Clip-clop.
“Whoa—whoa—”
After about an hour of travel, the carriage finally came to a stop, and the coachman announced their arrival at the Intelligence Club.
“We’ve arrived, sir.”
It was 7:20 PM, slightly late, but perhaps a better time to truly experience the club’s atmosphere, as most would likely be gathered by now.
As Theo stepped down from the carriage and approached the entrance, a sturdy, middle-aged man came up to him.
“Excuse me, but what brings you here?”
Though his gaze was cautious, he spoke respectfully, noting Theo’s luxurious attire.
Theo silently handed over a letter of recommendation.
After glancing at the letter, which bore Admiral Matthew Bentham’s signature, the man smiled.
“Ah, you’re here on Admiral Bentham’s recommendation. Please proceed inside for now. The final approval will be decided after consulting with the other members.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
Following his guide, Theo entered the club.
The interior of the club was as solemn and quiet as its refined decor suggested.
Members sat freely here and there, sipping tea and listening intently to someone’s conversation.
“… as you mentioned, the colonists continue to strongly resist the various taxes, and in Boston, citizens even threw hundreds of chests of tea into the sea. However, I don’t believe such drastic actions will lead to outright betrayal against Britain. No matter how angry they are, how can they turn their guns against their own country?”
“Yes, after all, they are still part of the Britons.”
At that moment, someone spoke up.
“Mr. Smith, what do you think?”
The club’s attention turned to a single man.
This man wore a dark gray suit, was small in stature, with a round face and a pointed chin. His gaze was fixed in one direction.
His hands were joined at the fingertips in a gesture known as the <steeple>, often associated with leaders.
‘The leader of this club… and if his last name is Smith… could he be Adam Smith?’
Following everyone’s gaze, Theo realized that the man was indeed Adam Smith, the author of <The Wealth of Nations>.
“I agree with that sentiment. It’s true that emotions have run high among the North American colonists, but I don’t see this leading to a major shift in the situation.”
A worried voice spoke up from across the room.
“However, according to a letter I received, the situation in North America is worsening more than we think. Figures like Senator Benjamin Franklin are urging restraint, but it doesn’t seem like the tension will subside easily.”
A gentleman expressed his discontent.
“Ugh—listening to this is rather unpleasant. Are you suggesting that the colonists might actually wage war against British troops?”
“Of course, not quite that, but considering the Boston Tea Party and the influence of a few radicals… it’s not impossible for things to escalate.”
Theo immediately recognized that the heated debate was related to the American Revolutionary War.
‘Benjamin Franklin? And the Boston Tea Party—so they’re discussing whether or not the North American colonies will go to war against Britain?’
He recalled the historical events in his mind.
‘The Declaration of Independence was issued on July 4, 1776. That means the Revolutionary War began the previous year, in 1775. Wait… isn’t this year 1775? So, this is the year when America begins its war for independence against Britain?’
Though Theo didn’t recall the exact month when the American Revolutionary War began, he knew that the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on July 4, 1776, and that the war had started the year before.
In reality, the American Revolutionary War would begin the following month, on April 19, 1775.
Since Theo had arrived at the club on March 28, 1775, it meant there were just over 20 days left before the war began.
‘From what I’m hearing, the war hasn’t started yet. But it’s certain that it will happen this year.’
While Theo was lost in thought, a tall gentleman stood up and tried to change the mood.
“Now, now. Let’s all calm down. After listening to everyone’s opinions, I think they all have valid points, but I assure you, such a tragic event will never occur in British North America. The colonists know better than anyone the fearsome might of the British army. Do you think they would recklessly wage war? Ha ha.”
But then, a voice interrupted.
“No, a war will break out soon!”
All eyes in the club turned toward the source of the voice.
It was Theo.
“The resistance of the North American colonists will only intensify and worsen. If they are not appeased soon, they will begin skirmishes with British forces, leading to a full-scale declaration of war.”
Theo’s bold statement reignited the previously subdued atmosphere, and members began raising their voices angrily.
“What nonsense are you spouting? A war, you say! How could a colony under British rule even consider such an idea?”
“Who are you, anyway? Who dares to speak such nonsense so confidently?”
However, Theo, who knew what the future held, was brimming with confidence.
“Following the various tax resistance movements and the Boston Tea Party, Britain has closed the ports and enacted retaliatory laws, causing the residents of the 13 American colonies to start a strong resistance. Now, the colonial militias are standing off against the British garrison. Naturally, the British troops will try to disband these militias, especially to prevent weapons from falling into their hands. In such a tense situation, clashes between the British troops and militias are inevitable. In fact, it would be stranger if no battles occurred, especially with the Massachusetts militia…”
As Theo continued with his detailed analysis, everyone fell silent and listened intently.
“… and once a major battle breaks out, contrary to what we expect, the British forces might not perform as well as anticipated.”
“Why wouldn’t they be able to perform well?”
“Currently, the 13 colonies in North America have developed a solid level of organization over the past decade due to the long period of war. If war breaks out, they have the experience and confidence to plan and cooperate much more thoroughly than before, so our British forces will have a tough time.”
At that moment, someone stood up abruptly and raised their voice.
“That’s nonsense! Ten years ago, it was our British forces that drove out the French, allowing the North American colonies to stand as they do today! How could they possibly point their guns at the army that protected them?”
Theo shook his head.
“Well, the thoughts of the North American residents now are completely different. During the seven years of war, the British forces disregarded them and even took away their military command. The colonists now refer to the British as <Redcoats> or <Devils> and are very hostile. To them, Britain is practically an enemy nation.”
“Considering Britain an enemy? No, that’s just… impossible…”
Someone then directed a question at Theo.
“Who are you? Are you from the North American colonies?”
It was Adam Smith.
“No, I’m British. I’ve never even been to North America.”
“Then how do you know so much about what’s happening over there?”
“Well… I have my sources.”
“And where did you get this information?”
He couldn’t say it came from history books.
“That’s difficult to explain. It’s a conclusion I’ve reached through my own information channels.”
Adam Smith scrutinized Theo closely and asked again.
“Then, let me ask just one more thing. The colonists might hold some hope, but the powerful British navy will soon arrive. Do you think the North American forces alone can really withstand them?”
“Yes, of course, it would be difficult. But if another country joins the fray, the situation would change entirely.”
“Another… country?”
The club stirred.
“If war begins, it is likely that after some back-and-forth victories, countries like France will intervene, supporting the American colonies and forming an alliance against the British forces.”
The mention of France’s intervention threw the club into immediate turmoil.
“Partnering with France? What is the basis for claiming such a ridiculous idea of cooperating with our enemy, France?”
“Do you really think it’s reasonable to assume that the colonists would start a war against their mother country, Britain, just because of a small tax on documents?”
In response to the agitated questions, Theo calmly answered one by one.
“The North American colonies symbolize <freedom and independence> more than any other nation. It’s not the amount of tax that matters, but the fact that the freedom and independence of the citizens, which they cherish deeply, have been trampled upon by the arbitrary laws of the British Parliament. This is what has sparked their anger.”
The club fell into silence again.
“And I believe that this anger will eventually lead to a conflict between the militia and British troops, which will be the beginning of a war for independence.”
Someone then shouted out, sounding accusatory.
“War for independence? Who are you, really? I’ve never seen someone like you in our club before.”
“Yes, I’ve never seen him either. How could he just waltz into this exclusive club and create such a ruckus?”
“Shouldn’t you properly identify yourself first? Are you really a British national? You look more like someone who’s relocated to the North American colonies.”
Theo took off his hat and bowed respectfully to the crowd.
“My apologies. I haven’t properly introduced myself. My name is Theo Sanderson, and I am here for the first time today, introduced by Admiral Matthew Bentham. I should have received approval from the other members before participating, but I got caught up in the passionate discussion and joined in without thinking. I apologize sincerely.”
“… Admiral Bentham, you say?”
The mention of Matthew Bentham’s name from Theo’s lips immediately diffused the hostile atmosphere.
“Did Admiral Bentham really recommend you?”
“Yes, here is the admiral’s letter of recommendation. Please, take a look.”
A stocky older man with thick eyebrows and a prominent nose stood up and accepted the letter.
After checking it, he nodded.
“Hmm… it appears to bear Admiral Bentham’s signature. If that’s the case, I don’t think any special approval process is necessary. Especially for someone with such insight and the admiral’s recommendation.”
Later, Theo learned that this man was <Samuel Johnson>.
As the process of recognizing Theo was settled smoothly, one member approached him sheepishly and extended his hand.
“I apologize for raising my voice earlier. I got a bit emotional. My name is William Rowland. I’m a businessman, not a noble, but rather part of the yeoman class.”
“Nice to meet you, I’m Theo Sanderson. I’ve just recently made a bit of money through the sugar trade.”
Once the commotion settled down, the discussion about North America resumed.
However, opinions remained divided.
At that point, Samuel Johnson stepped forward and made an interesting suggestion.
“How about this? Let’s note down our wagers in the betting ledger based on this debate.”
His suggestion was met with enthusiasm from all sides.
“Ah, that’s a great idea.”
“Yes, let’s stop arguing over who’s right and who’s wrong and just bet on whether or not a war will break out this year. Let’s see who has the better foresight, haha.”
In 18th-century England, it was quite common in clubs to place bets on various social issues and events.
“Well then, let’s bring out the betting ledger. Please note your wager amounts next to the side you support.”
Theo, who had never seen such a betting ledger before, looked bewildered.
Nevertheless, he wrote down his name and placed a substantial amount on the bet.
But Theo was the only one betting that a war would break out within the year.
Everyone else bet that there would be no war this year.
Even Adam Smith and Samuel Johnson placed their bets on peace.
‘It seemed like a few people agreed with my opinion, but when it comes down to betting on a war breaking out, they’re all skeptical.’
As they were upper-class nobles or wealthy intellectuals, the sums noted down appeared to add up to thousands of pounds.
A faint smile appeared on Theo’s lips.
‘Haha. With this amount, I’ll more than recover the cost of my carriage.’
For Theo, who already knew about the imminent American Revolutionary War, it was easier than taking candy from a baby.
And above all, it felt like a chance to make a strong impression.