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Napoleon's
downfall signaled the end of Geneva's ordeal and the recovery
of its freedom. On March 20th, 1814, a worried Vacheron
wrote: "The Austrians are still in Geneva while the French
hold Carouge and the Bois de la Batie, causing us unremitting
anguish."
When
the last French armies had been defeated, his profound
relief was obvious:" ...devoutly desired peace having
put our trouble to rest, we can look forward to a felicitous
future. It appears certain that the Department du Leman
will give way to the twentieth Swiss canton; it widely
believed that this is the best thing that could befall
us."
| While
the victors shared the spoils of war, Pictet de
Rochement's political acumen and diplomatic deftness
enabled Geneva to recover its independence and
join the twenty-one cantons then forming
the Swiss Confederation. |
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Vacheron's
foresight had proved prophetic and the peaceful years
that followed the Napoleonic Wars enabled his business
to the various states and dependencies of the Italy
of his day. Traveling to Turin, Bologna, Florence, Genoa
and Leghorn, everywhere he was pleasantly surprised
and not a little flattered to discover that those promising
markets held his name and timepieces in high regard.
Passing throughout he busy port of Trieste, he began
to contemplate commercial opportunities beyond the seas,
in Egypt, Turkey and even America.
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