He Opened A Matchmaking Agency In 18Th Century London [EN]: Chapter 146

146. Robinson Returns

July 1780. Theo Marriage Agency, CEO’s office on the 5th floor.

In line with the impressive growth of T&S Coffee, Theo had been acquiring small to medium-sized coffee farms near Jamaica.

Furthermore, to improve the coffee’s quality, he brought in coffee experts from Saint-Domingue [modern-day Haiti and Dominican Republic] to specialize in cultivation techniques.

In this way, he distinguished the existing high-end coffee market, dominated by figures like Mr. Spencer, from the more affordable general coffee market, and stimulated the production of coffee beans to meet the growing demand.

The beans from Theo’s Jamaican farm, inexpensive yet of superior quality for their price, became a popular substitute for those who couldn’t afford expensive Blue Mountain coffee beans, garnering a surprisingly positive reception.

With the large-scale slave rebellion in the French colony of Saint-Domingue disrupting coffee cultivation, the demand for coffee in Europe, especially in France, increased dramatically. Coupled with the opening of the American market, Theo’s coffee business boomed.

In particular, as the story spread that Theo Sanderson, the CEO of T&S Coffee, was a key supporter of American independence, T&S Coffee gained immense popularity in the American coffee market.

Coffee’s dominance of the beverage market was also evident in England.

Originally, in 18th-century England, tea was far more popular than coffee.

Consequently, the country was concerned about the significant outflow of silver to China to pay for tea. However, the rapid rise of coffee drastically reduced this outflow of national wealth, creating a new trade dynamic that had never existed before.

“How is the expansion of the textile factory in Manchester progressing?”

As James Watt’s steam engine began to demonstrate its capabilities, Theo expanded the textile factory and invested heavily in the cotton industry.

Vice President Hughes opened a document file, reviewed its contents, and then answered the question.

“Yes, as you instructed, we purchased a nearby textile factory and are operating it with a new Watt steam engine. Total production has increased several times over…”

The coal industry, steam engines, and subsequently the cotton and coffee industries that Theo initially invested in, experienced tremendous growth, creating a synergistic effect.

The war, which had threatened to become a drain on resources, ended early, removing economic uncertainties and fostering economic development, which generated substantial profits.

In England, now fully immersed in the Industrial Revolution, Theo’s businesses were generating astronomical profits, playing a significant role in driving the country’s economic cycle.

As this tangible economic boom continued, the number of marriage counseling cases at the marriage agency also increased significantly.

The improved stability in the lives of ordinary people, resulting from economic development, directly contributed to a surge in marriages.

The use of wedding halls and venues managed by Theo also increased rapidly. In particular, costs were significantly reduced by allowing common people to use these facilities, which were often quite expensive, on a smaller scale.

Furthermore, dance parties designed to match men and women with compatible interests became popular, gaining explosive traction among young people.

“…The profitability of the marriage agency has improved noticeably, and consequently, sales of related services and goods are also increasing significantly.

In addition, as this entire area is being developed into the CEO’s business district, it’s become known as ‘Theo Street’ among young people and is establishing itself as a prime attraction.”

The increased demand for marriage services and dance halls directly boosted the business of ready-made clothing stores, restaurants, and cafes on Theo Street.

Moreover, as the streets around Theo’s company gained fame, many tourists from across the country flocked to Kensington.

This led to a significant increase in demand for affordable accommodation, and Theo actively renovated existing hotels and inns in Kensington, transforming them into modern hotels.

As a result, London financiers joked that half of the profits coming into England ended up in Theo’s pocket.

Naturally, banks and insurance companies were eager to curry favor with Theo.

“Has the staffing for the trading company business you mentioned last time been completed?”

At Theo’s question, Vice President Hughes shook his head, looking troubled.

“It hasn’t been easy. As the workload increases, the employees we’ve hired so far seem to struggle to understand the work.

Under the circumstances, even if we hire new employees, the time it takes to train them is too long, and I’m concerned that our overall efficiency will suffer.”

When Theo Trading Company first started, there were only five employees, but managing various businesses wasn’t a major problem.

However, as the scale of the business has grown rapidly over the past few years, the number of employees has increased substantially. Despite hiring new staff regularly, there’s a limit to what can be achieved simply by adding more people.

Even managing the increased number of hotels in Kensington required more time and effort than expected to hire and train employees.

After Vice President Hughes left, Theo pondered the future situation.

‘Education is severely lacking in this society. It wouldn’t be this bad if people had at least a basic modern education.

But in the future, the work will become more complex, specialized, and numerous. Hiring new people each time to carry out the work will inevitably increase losses in terms of time and money.

If we could educate them thoroughly in advance and then place them in the field, it would be ideal because we could carry out the work smoothly without much difficulty…’

The establishment of a modern specialized educational institution seemed essential.

However, in the late 18th century, ‘economics’ was still in its infancy, and specialized economic education institutions like those common today were nonexistent.

Elementary compulsory education for children wouldn’t be implemented in England for another 100 years, so the absence of specialized educational institutions was not surprising.

Higher education institutions such as universities had long taught subjects that formed the basis for economic research, such as mathematics, philosophy, and science, but these were mostly valuable as academic subjects. It was difficult to view them as specialized departments or courses that could be applied practically.

‘Based on elementary education, it will be necessary to establish a specialized educational institution with a minimum of 1-2 years of courses. Initially, it will take time, but once some education is provided, high-quality employees will emerge, and the potential will be greatly improved.’

Education was one of the most reliable investments for the future, so Theo had been considering establishing an educational institution if his business grew and he had sufficient capital.

‘Hmm… To run an educational institution, I need an expert who can effectively lead modern specialized economic education…. I need to find the right person.’

Then, Colin Peterson, Mr. Osborne’s son-in-law in Manchester and the person in charge of the entire factory, suddenly came to mind.

He had a keen understanding of economics, had studied in France, and seemed to be acquainted with several economists and professors in England.

‘Yes, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to meet him when I have time and ask for his opinion.’

Theo remembered that Peterson had mentioned a brilliant economics professor at the time and had expressed regret about his situation.

At that time, Theo was too preoccupied with saving Mr. Osborne’s factory to pay attention, but now that an economic expert for education was essential, it seemed necessary to revisit the conversation.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Thump-

Lucy opened the door and entered.

“Sir. Wilson, the lawyer, wants to meet you urgently at the cafe on the first floor.”

“Oh, really? Okay, I’ll go down soon.”

Seeing Wilson, the barrister, come all the way here, it seemed to be about Leo Edwards.

* * *

Wilson, who was waiting at the cafe, got straight to the point without exchanging pleasantries.

“New news has arrived from Mr. Robinson in North America.”

Mr. Robinson was sending Wilson regular updates on the situation in the United States.

The journey by ship from London to the United States usually took about 6-8 weeks, whereas the return trip from the United States to London could be as short as 3-4 weeks.

This was due to the prevailing westerlies of the North Atlantic and the currents of the Gulf of Mexico, which meant that news from the United States arrived faster.

“What’s the news this time?”

“Let’s read the letter first.”

Theo read the letter handed over by Wilson.

Theo’s eyes widened as he read.

“Thomas Paine praised Logan’s novel?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Thomas Paine was the individual who ignited and inspired the American people’s desire for independence in the early stages of the American independence movement.

He is remembered as the author of ‘Common Sense,’ which instilled in Americans the yearning for independence.

Now, this figure, who served as a spiritual pillar of American independence, had written an article titled ‘Conscience’ after reading Logan’s novel, further stirring the hearts of Americans.

In the article, he argued that everyone should unite and demonstrate the greatness of the American conscience, once again galvanizing American citizens.

In just one month, Logan’s novel, along with Thomas Paine’s writings, generated a significant response and fueled strong public sentiment.

And in response, the letter stated that people were voluntarily attempting to find individuals connected to Dylan Farm from a dozen years prior.

“But Mr. Robinson hired a detective because he was frustrated with urging the state government to investigate?”

“Yes, that’s right. Among American citizens, there’s strong public pressure for the state government to directly investigate, but the state government hasn’t yet recovered from the aftermath of the war. Furthermore, the United States Constitution has just been issued, and establishing a federal government is proving chaotic. The conditions for investigation are far from ideal.

In particular, South Carolina suffered such extensive damage during the war that little remains. It seems they’re not in a position to conduct a proper investigation.

For this reason, Mr. Robinson seems to be hiring a skilled detective to track them down.

Perhaps good news will arrive soon, clearly revealing Leo’s identity. This letter was written a month ago, so he may have already gathered decisive evidence in the meantime.”

“Yes, that would be very advantageous in the future lawsuit.”

“That’s right.”

“But the Duke of Garrett’s side will also be fully prepared, just as we have prepared. We must thoroughly prepare for any possible contingencies until the end.”

“Of course, sir. We plan to address any existing shortcomings as new information becomes available.”

Laura, Leo Edwards’ wife, is due to give birth soon.

If Mr. Robinson finds decisive evidence or witnesses at that time, it will be the most valuable gift for Leo Edwards and his wife.

4 months later, November 1780.

Mayfair, Theo’s mansion.

“Mr. Robinson! Thank you so much for your hard work. Congratulations on the birth of a healthy grandson.”

Theo congratulated Mr. Robinson, who was holding his grandson in his arms in the living room.

He had lost a considerable amount of weight, and his eyes were sunken, indicating how diligently he had worked in the United States over the past year.

“But I’m curious how you were able to find the suspects in North America, where investigation proved so difficult.”

“Yes, honestly, it was incredibly challenging, haha. North America, or rather, the place now called the United States, is so vast and desolate that words can’t adequately describe it without seeing it firsthand.

In addition, government offices were virtually dysfunctional due to the wounds of war, and the entire country was in turmoil over forming a federal government and electing a president. South Carolina, where Leo lived, was so devastated that conducting any investigation was difficult.

So, I had to investigate and visit each location myself. Still, I believe it was possible to achieve this much thanks to Logan’s novel.”

Mr. Robinson not only faithfully carried out the work Theo had assigned him but also succeeded in finding the black maid who was suspected of poisoning the Dylan family at the time.

He also accomplished the significant feat of capturing the farm owner who was believed to have sold Leo into slavery.

Behind these achievements was Logan’s novel.

Logan’s novel was a major sensation in the United States, and its popularity stemmed not only from the emotional impact of the book itself but also from the widespread attention given to Thomas Paine’s praise, which proved to be a decisive factor in the book’s success.

“Logan’s novel was so popular that it sold out as soon as it arrived at rental stores. Amidst this, Thomas Paine’s praise added fuel to the fire, creating a veritable whirlwind in the United States.

Thanks to this, we received numerous tips and were able to locate the suspects, and we also gained the opportunity to investigate those suspects in England.”

American citizens, having learned that the events in the novel were based on actual occurrences in their country through Logan’s interview and Mr. Robinson’s efforts, urged a swift investigation.

Since the federal government had not yet been established, all authority for this matter rested with the South Carolina state government, which promised an active investigation in response to the citizens’ strong demands.

However, South Carolina, where the incident occurred, was the area most severely damaged in the Revolutionary War, making normal investigative activities nearly impossible.

The state government, struggling to maintain law and order, couldn’t even consider conducting an investigation.

“Based on the information, I hired detectives and managed to arrest the two suspects and hand them over to the state government’s investigative agency. But for days, they only conducted perfunctory investigations.

I feared they would release them without charge, so I immediately began submitting articles to various newspapers.”

Then, British society began to stir.

British citizens, learning about the situation in the South Carolina state government through newspapers, voiced their concerns, arguing that the tragedy of a prestigious British family should be properly investigated in England.

Eventually, Theo visited King George directly, explained the matter in detail, and urged him to intervene.

“If it weren’t for Lord Sanderson, His Majesty the King would have intervened, and the matter could have been buried in the United States.”

The South Carolina state government had no choice but to respond to King George’s official request to transfer the suspects to England.

This was because American citizens held great respect and support for King George due to his approval of their independence.

The South Carolina state government hastily conducted a summary investigation of the townspeople at the time to verify whether the events related to the novel had actually occurred. After a flood of testimonies, they decided to accept King George’s proposal after much deliberation.

Mr. Robinson asked with a worried expression as he comforted his grandson.

“After many twists and turns, I managed to find the suspects and bring them here, but can England really solve a case that South Carolina couldn’t properly address? Moreover, all the suspects are vehemently denying responsibility….”

“Mr. Robinson brought two definite suspects to England, and Lord Leo, who is directly involved in the case, is here. Moreover, it seems that the mastermind behind all of this is also in England. It will definitely be resolved. Don’t worry, Mr. Robinson, just rest well now.”

Theo expressed great confidence in resolving the case.